Living up to your destiny
by Nagem
Summary: DISCONTINUED. The memory of Hyrule has completely vanished from the minds of the people. Can a modernaged boy really live up to the destiny of his ancestors?
1. Chapter one

Okay then. Er, hi everyone. This is my first Zelda fic, so be nice to me, okay? Anyway . . . a few things before we get started; if anyone couldn't tell from the summary, this takes place in modern times. Because of this, it might seem AU at first. There are only a few characters that you will know (Ganondorf, Link, but nobody like the sages or Malon) Well . . . if anyone has any questions other than that, let me know, and I'll answer them!  
  
Disclaimer- I don't own Zelda.  
  
"talking" /thoughts/ *telepathic speech, if there is any* ::words meant to be emphasized, as if they were in italics::   
  
/That foolish hero. He really thought he could beat me./  
  
Ganondorf could feel his body floating through time and space.  
  
/He sent me to the sacred realm, locking me in there. And then he sealed me in stone./  
  
A scowl crossed his dark features as he thought about the man who had given him this punishment.  
  
/He buried me in the waves of the great sea./  
  
Ganondorf held out his left hand, the limb looking like a ghostly image in the light-filled waters.  
  
/He never thought that I could come back, after all this time./  
  
The King of Evil watched as the Triforce glowed dimly on his hand, and smiled.  
  
/But I will, hero, I will/  
  
And his mind drifted back to the time before the waves of the great sea, when Hyrule was a prospering, peaceful land.  
  
::Long ago, there existed a kingdom where a golden power lay hidden. One day, a man of great evil found this power and took it for himself, and with it at his command, he spread darkness across the kingdom. But then . . . just as all hope had died, a young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere. Wielding a blade that repelled evil, he sealed the dark one away and gave the land light. This boy, who traveled through time to save the land, was known as the Hero of Time. The boy's tale was passed down through generations until it became legend.  
  
And then a day came when a fell wind began to blow across the kingdom, and the great evil once again crept forth from the depths of the earth. The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them. But the hero did not appear. . . .  
  
What became of that kingdom. . . ? None remain who know. The memory of the kingdom vanished, but its legend survived on the wind's breath. -Introduction to "The legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker"::  
  
::beep, beep beep, be-::  
  
The alarm clock stops abruptly as I slam my fist into it. I groan and peer out of bed, throwing my green sheets off myself and my blue pajamas. Almost immediately, I plop my head back down on the pillow.  
  
"Who's idea was it that I get up and practice karate this early?" I groan. I can almost hear a little voice in the back of my head-/You, you idiot!/ it says. I groan again. This is just what I need, little voices talking to me from the back of my head the day I'm going to take my black belt test in karate. "Might as well get started practicing. I'm gonna need it."  
  
::Clunk!::  
  
I open one eye and peer at my window, where the sound had come from. I tiptoe over, and throw the window open.  
  
Ouch.  
  
Another rock just hit me.  
  
"Sorry!" I look down. Skye's standing there, and where I should see an "I'm- so-sorry-I-hit-you" face, I see a typical "Get-you-butt-outta-bed-and-I- won't-do-it-again" face.  
  
Figures that she'd be the one throwing rocks. She doesn't care if she hits or misses.  
  
"What do you want?" I ask, glaring down at her. She laughs.  
  
"You said you'd be practicing, so I thought I'd come and help! Now come on down!" I sigh.  
  
Great. She's just what I need. The daughter of my sensei watching me practice. But really, what would a black belt want with a lowly brown belt like myself?  
  
"Why are you helping me?" I ask minutes later as I join her on the hard concrete of my parent's driveway. She sighs.  
  
"Honestly, you've asked me this question every time I've helped you practice, Link," she says, walking off to the woods and motioning for me to follow. Somehow I've always kinda felt at home in the woods. "We're friends, we've been friends since I was three and you saved me from that . . . what was it again?"  
  
I laugh. "It was a 'rabid chicken' as you so charmingly put it five years ago," I say. It hadn't been doing anything, she was just screaming her head off because it came near her. Skye falls into a fighting stance, and I copy her. Our conversation now comes in short bursts between kicks and punches. Skye tells me about this moron that she's been dating.  
  
"And he says, 'Skye, I don't think that you should wear that dress," she says as she blocks my punch with her arm. I wince. "Honestly. Is there anything wrong with me wearing a low-cut dress?"  
  
"Well, you are flat as a board."  
  
::BAM::  
  
I suppose I deserved that. I would never admit it out loud though.  
  
"Thanks for your vote of confidence," Skye says. Damn, was that a ::kick::? I work my jaw open and closed, wondering if it still works. Come to think of it, you probably can kick pretty high after years and years of stretching. "Are you all right? My leg's bruising." Hah. I knew it would.  
  
"You deserve it," I say.  
  
"Come on," Skye tells me, sitting down on the roots of a tree that are protruding from the ground. "Let's take a quick break." I walk over and sit down next to her. We're in our clearing, the one we discovered when we were about five. It's always been sort of a special place for us, mainly because we had our first sparring match here when I was a green belt and she was a blue.  
  
She won that match, if I remember correctly.  
  
"Ah, Liiiiiiink," I hear Skye whine next to me. "Don't tell me you brought that ferret with you ::again::" I look down to where my bag with my karate stuff in it is moving.  
  
I thought I told Navi to stay still.  
  
"Yeah," I say as I drag the female ferret out of my bag. She hisses at Skye before going and settling on my shoulder. Don't ask me why I named her Navi, it just seemed like a cool name. She's strange though. She always nags me, in her own way, by nibbling at my ear as if she's talking and making high-pitched noises whenever I'm about to go into a fight. Once she even launched herself at my sparring opponent. I thought it was cute; Skye thought Navi had gone mental; Skye's father (my, well, our sensei) banished her from the dojo. "Don't you like her?"  
  
"She just scares me sometimes, that's all," Skye says. "Sometimes it's like she's more than an animal." I gape at her.  
  
Is it just me, or did Navi just give Skye a funny look?  
  
"LINK!!! GET YOUR BUTT BACK HERE SO THAT YOU'RE ON TIME FOR THE TEST!!!"  
  
That would be Skye's father. He doesn't want me to miss the test-he likes me just as well as Skye does. Come to think; why hasn't he-  
  
"SKYE!! YOU NEED TO COME BACK HERE TOO!!"  
  
Never mind. Skye and I trade looks of mock-innocence before we leave the clearing. Sometimes I wonder how that man knows where we are all the time. 


	2. Chapter two

All right then. I only got three reviews, but I'll post this anyway. But first, I have some reviews to reply to.  
  
Blizrun- Thanks for the support! You were the first reviewer! Anyway, I'm glad that you like the idea, and please keep reviewing for me, okay? And thanks for the compliment! (It's my first time writing in the present tense. Shhhh! Don't tell ^_^)  
  
Invader DOOM- Heheh. Why are you afraid to log in? (Just curious, no offense meant or anything) I think several people have the same idea I do. You should go ahead and post that story, it's not like I'm gonna go around saying you stole my idea or anything. (I've already found a few stories like this one) Besides, yours sounds more interesting than mine!  
  
Christine- You'll see what's up with Navi soon enough. ^_^  
  
Well, I suppose that's it for now! I'm so happy the chapters are coming this quickly! My muses are pleased with me!! Yay!! Well, I hope you enjoy, and please review! -Nagem  
  
"Talking"  
  
/Thoughts/  
  
*Telepathic speech, if there is any*  
  
::Words meant to be in italics::   
  
After the test I am immediately ambushed by Skye. She is hopping around on one foot excitedly, as if she were waiting for something. When I raise my eyebrows and don't say anything, she becomes annoyed.  
  
"Well?" she demands after a well-aimed (but friendly) sock to my already-injured jaw (thank heavens it was friendly, too, otherwise I don't think I could talk even if she wanted me to) "How'd it go?" I work my jaw for a few moments before I answer.  
  
"I think it went okay," I say. "I fumbled on a few of the things, but saved myself. What happened to you?" She has gray patches on the knees of her usually-black gi. She rubs them almost impatiently as we begin to walk down the hall.  
  
"I had cleaning duty." She makes a face. "Sensei Dad was mad at me for letting dinner burn last night while I was talking on the phone." She shrugs.  
  
Leave it to her to be talking when she should be watching the food. We pause for a moment outside a classroom where we hear yelling, and Skye smiles.  
  
"Hey, Link," she says. I turn to her.  
  
"Yeah?" I ask as we watch a few students-white belts-run by, being chased by one of the red belts, yelling something about scrubbing the hallways. I dimly take the time to notice the sponges they've strapped to their knees, and I hear Skye snicker and mutter something about not using the sponges properly.  
  
What's wrong with strapping them to your knees? It's what I used to do.  
  
"Anyway," Skye says, snapping my attention back to the present. "I was going to ask you about your katas."  
  
"What about my katas?" I ask, somewhat defensively. "They're fine! I practiced all week, I swear it!"  
  
"No, no, no, no," Skye says quickly. "I know they're fine, that's why I want you to help me with mine!" I stop muttering under my breath with my mouth hanging open. "I'm having trouble with a few of the ones where we hold swords, and I was wondering if you'd give me a few tips about handling it."  
  
"Why me?" I ask. "I'm just, as of now, a brown belt. Why not ask your dad or one of the other teachers?" Skye shifts uncomfortably.  
  
"Link, you're the best swordsman I've ever seen," she says. I swallow hard. "Even my dad says that you're the best to come to the dojo." She looks down at the floor, as if she's said something that she shouldn't have.  
  
She has a point, come to think of it. A sword has always felt natural to me. Whenever I felt threatened, I reached to my back as if there were a sword there. I subconsciously reach to where the hilt of one would be. My hand closes around thin air, but I have a sense that that wasn't always true.  
  
::He stares at me with glowing eyes, where I can see the evil intentions he has.  
  
"Tell me boy, where did they go?" I back away, and my hand flies to my back, where I find a solid sword-hilt. My fingers close around it, and I draw it, enjoying the "shing" sound that I hear. I hold it in front of me while my other hand goes around to pull the shield off my back. I hear slow, clear laughter before everything goes white and I am flung backward in a world of pain.::  
  
I gasp and pull myself out of the vision.  
  
/Where in the world did that come from?/ I wonder as Skye glances at me, concern etching its way through her face. /I've been watching too many medieval movies./  
  
"Are you all right?" Skye asks. "You blanked out on me for a moment." I shake my head, thrusting it into my hand. "Link!"  
  
"I'm fine," I say once my head clears. "You said something about practicing katas?" She smiles, and nods.  
  
"Skye, you hold it like this," I say, walking across the empty classroom to her and correcting her grip on the hilt of her wooden practice sword. She doesn't say anything, but nods and focuses on swinging with the new grip. She hasn't been acting herself for the past half-hour we've been practicing.  
  
I wonder if it has anything to do with me blanking out during that vision?  
  
"I think I've got it, Link," she says after a few minutes. I nod, and we fall back into fighting stances, holding our swords at the ready. There's the ::clunk:: as wood hits wood, and we fall back into our fighting style. "Halloween's coming up." I nod.  
  
"What are you dressing up as?" I ask, blocking her thrust. She pauses. I take the advantage and aim for her head. She gasps and blocks just in time. I smile. "You're getting better."  
  
"Thanks," she says, slightly out of breath from the quick reaction. "I dunno what I'm gonna be for Halloween quite yet. I'm thinking a ninja or something like that. What about you, Link?"  
  
"I don't know," I say. "I haven't even really thought about it, with the test coming up and everything." She nods as she parries my blow.  
  
"I can understand," she says. "Dad makes it hard to think of anything else when he's about to test you. Still, if you don't do something soon, the stores will be out of the good costumes." I nod.  
  
"SOMEONE GET THAT FERRET!! IT'S HERE AGAIN!" There are the sounds of many people running, and the realization of who the ferret is hits me.  
  
"Navi!" I yell, bolting for the door as I hear Skye break into hysterical laughter. I tumble into the hall and look wildly around. "Navi!!" I begin to run down the hall, hoping to find her before anyone else does.  
  
How in the world did she know where I was?  
  
"Link!!" Another brown belt catches my attention. "She went that way." The brown belt points down the hallway I ignored earlier. "Skye's dad is chasing her with his practice sword!" I nod my thanks to her and bolt down that hallway. I suddenly see a brown blur.  
  
"Navi!" I yell, dropping to my knees grabbing her out from under the blow of a sword. I clutch her protectively to my chest as I get up to face Skye's father, my Sensei.  
  
"What is that ferret doing here again?" Sensei growls, swinging his practice sword over his shoulder. Navi lets out a terrified squeak and climbs up into my hair for a few seconds, and then, as if she remembers she's not supposed to be there, climbs back down to my shoulder.  
  
"She must have gotten out, sir," I say, eyeing the sword as if I were daring him to swing it at Navi again.  
  
Actually, that's not such a good idea, so I avert my gaze to his face.  
  
"Well, next time make sure that she doesn't get out," he says, and turns his back on me, suddenly yelling for Skye to get her butt out here. Once he's left the hall, I pluck Navi off my shoulder and look her straight in her little beady ferret eyes.  
  
"This is entirely your fault," I say to her. She gives me this look, as if she's saying, "Well, you ::could:: have told me where you were going."  
  
I didn't know ferrets could say so much with just their eyes.  
  
"And why are you so worried about me anyhow?" I ask, gently settling her back onto my shoulder. "It's like you're trying to protect me from something." She squeaks as if to say I'm correct, and I open my mouth to ask her something else but stop when I hear someone else in the hall.  
  
"I didn't know you talked to animals, Link." The brown belt who helped me out earlier is standing there. Her red hair's pulled back into a bun and she smiles at me. Her name's Kenya, I think. "It's all right, though." She looks Navi in the eyes and puts a finger out as if to stroke her.  
  
"I wouldn't do that-" I warn, but it's too late.  
  
"AAAAH!! IT BIT ME!"  
  
"I told you."  
  
"LINK!! THAT FERRET'S IN TROUBLE NOW!!"  
  
"Ah, shit," I mutter. I turn to Kenya, who's nursing her bleeding finger. "Tell Skye I'm sorry that I can't practice anymore." With that, I make a wild run out of the dojo, toward home. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
/One crack. One chip. One small opening./  
  
Ganondorf smiled as he saw the weakness in his foe's seal.  
  
/It's all I need to send my minions into their world/  
  
Dark energy pulsed around him, shattering everything it came in contact with.  
  
/Then, when their forces are weak, I will take over./  
  
Black light-dark magic-flowed through the air and out of the portal he had made.  
  
/Go minions, go. DESTORY THEM!!/ 


	3. Chapter three

Okay, I need to say a few things before we get started. 

Not that anyone's really asked about it, but I felt that I needed to clear things up. Hyrule hasn't really changed _that much. Here's a few things that __have changed._

-The races have . . . vanished isn't the right word, because they're all still there, but you can't tell them apart anymore. (The zora looks like a regular human, for example.)

-They have electronics, phones, stuff like that. And they dress like we do today, not in tunics. 

-The legends of the Triforce and the Hero of Time no longer exist in the people's minds. 

And here's the things that _haven't changed. _

-They still worship Din, Nayru and Farore.

-They still have long, pointed ears. 

Blizrun - Sure, I'm always looking for a new fanfic to read. (You might keep in mind that I'm a little bit picky when it comes to LoZ fics, though . . . .) 

Ah, shit. 

Halloween's tomorrow, and I still haven't got a costume. 

And what's worse is Skye just informed me that all of the costume stores are out of any costumes whatsoever. 

This is what I get for waiting until the last minute. 

                "I'm off to the costume store, Navi," I inform the ferret as I grab my jacket and bolt for the door, opening it to the quickly darkening night. Navi squeaks at me from atop the couch and curls up to go to sleep. I hear a brief shout of, "Not too long after dark!" from my mother before I shut the door. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Dang, Skye was right.

All the costume stores I've been to are closed, with little signs saying, "Out of stock" Even at the retail stores, the shelves are picked clean, save a few plastic daggers and maces.

Either they didn't order much this year or this is going to be a very eventful Halloween.

I finally find an open shop at the other side of town. I enter. The place is very dimly lighted, with one bare bulb in the middle of the store and small rope lights strung about the corners. If I didn't know any better, I'd say this place has been deserted for a while. Kenya stands at the counter, smiling and waving as I come in. I smile back, noting that the shelves are empty, and most every little extra is gone. 

Why does she still have this place open? 

                "Hey, Link," Kenya says as I approach the counter. "Looking for a Halloween costume?" I nod, and she winces. "We're fresh out. I wanted to close the store, but my mom-she owns the place-told me to keep it open until closing time." She breaks off and shrugs. "I don't know what good it'll do. Sorry, Link." She turns her back to me and begins walking away from the counter.

                "Wait!" I say. "You've gotta have _something," _She turns and winks at me.

                "I'll check for you," she says, and vanishes. While she's gone, I take the chance and shiver. I'm not cold, oh no, this place gives me the creeps. It's like there's something dark lurking in the shadows. I'm sure it wouldn't be so bad if the place were full of costumes, but . . . "This is all we have." I jump about three feet into the air and let out a yelp. Kenya, holding a brown package, laughs. "Jumpy, are we?"

                "Sorry," I say. I eye the package. "For me?" I ask, pointing to it.

                "Yeah," she says. "It's not exactly a costume, per say, but it's not something one would wear every day." She hands it to me, and I open it. 

Oh, sweet Nayru, it's a Robin-Hood tunic complete with white leggings and undershirt. Din be damned, there's even a green hat to go with it. I lift the tunic out of the package and stare at it. 

                "These are _tights,_" I inform Kenya. "I am not wearing _tights_." She shakes her head at me.

                "They're not tights," she says. "They're leggings." Of course, she's right, but am I going to admit that? 

Nope.

                "Oh, come on," she says with a teasing tone. "They'll look good on you." I shake my head. I am not wearing these, no matter how good they'll look on me.

                "Are you sure that you don't have anything else?" I ask, putting a look of complete disgust on my face as I shove the package with the tunic in it away from me. 

                "Nope," she says. "I checked every nook and cranny, and there's nothing there." I growl half-heartedly and pull some money out of my wallet. 

                "You're lucky everywhere else it out," I say, throwing my money down on the counter. "Otherwise I'd march right out of here." She smiles. 

                "I know, I know," she says. "Hey, did you hear about the robbery last night?"

                "What robbery?" I ask. 

                "Some thieves broke into a jewelry store last night and stole a really valuable jewel," Kenya says as she counts my change. "An emerald, I think."

                "An emerald," I say. 

Why does that bother me? 

                "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you later." 

                "I guess you will," Kenya says as she hands me my change and I leave.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

_Crack!! _

Dang it, Skye!! That's the third window she's broken this month!!

I fall out of bed and run to the cracked window, throwing it open and looking down at Skye, who's smiling that oh-so-annoying "get-your-butt-out-of-bed-and-I-won't-do-it-again" smile.

                "That's the third window this month!" I shout down at her. 

                "Sorry!" she shouts. I growl half-heartedly before I see her pick up another rock. 

                "Put that down and get your butt up here!!" I yell at the top of my lungs. I hear an annoyed squeal from Navi in the corner. "What?" I turn and glare at her. She glares at me and squeaks again. A moment later I hear Skye open my bedroom door and peek in. 

                "Is it safe?" she asks. I nod, and she steps in. Taking a deep breath, she shouts, "Happy Halloween!!" I hear Navi squeak in what sounds like hopelessness and vanish into one of my pillowcases. 

                "Do you have to shout so _loud_?" I demand of Skye. She grins sheepishly and shrugs. I'm about to send her out of my room when she spots the bag from the costume store.

                "Hey, mister last minute, what'd you get?" she asks, pointing to the bag. When I don't answer, she reaches for it. 

                "Don't!" I yelp, diving and grabbing the bag before she does. She giggles. "It's none of your business." I notice that she has black pants on, presumably part of her costume. "What are _you _supposed to be anyway?" 

                "I'll show you if you show me!" I sigh. 

                "You first," I say. She takes off her coat, revealing a tight black shirt, more like a tunic because there's a sash tied around her waist with the end of the shirt hanging down for about a foot, with long sleeves. She pulls out another black sash and ties it around the back of her head, covering her mouth and nose. There's a hood on the shirt too, I realize as Skye pulls it up over her head and tucks her hair into it. She turns and smiles (at least, I think she's smiling. It's hard to tell with the mask on) at me. 

                "How do you like it?" she asks, her voice slightly muffled by the cloth. "I'm a ninja," she informs me when I don't answer right away. 

                "Looks good," I offer. "Now get out so I can change." I push her out the door. "You too." I grab Navi off my bed and shove her into Skye's arms.

                "What's with him?" Skye asks Navi as I shut the door in their faces. I pull the green tunic out of the bag and glare at it. Ah, well. I suppose that there's nothing that can be done about this. I told Skye I had a costume, and that means that I have to wear this. 

I swear, I must look like some sort of Robin Hood in this thing. 

                "Come on in, Skye," I say as I pull the hat down over my pointed ears. Skye enters with Navi, who she sets on the bed. Skye takes one good look at me and bursts into laughter.

                "Lookin' good, Link!" she says, giggling like there's no tomorrow. Which there won't be for her if she doesn't shut up. "You look good in green!!" I turn my back on her and kneel down in front of Navi so the ferret can see the costume. 

                "What do you think?" I ask. Navi uncurls herself and peers at my costume through beady eyes. I wait a moment, and then look at Navi for approval. What I see is not what I expected. 

If a ferret's jaw could drop, Navi's would be on the floor by this point in time. 

                "Is it just me, or does the ferret look really shocked about your costume?" Skye asks, kneeling down next to me. Navi looks at us both, and goes into a flurry of squeaks that don't end even when I pick her up. "What is _wrong with the animal?" Skye asks, covering her ears. _

                "I have no freakin' idea!!" I shout, petting Navi in an effort to calm her down. When the squeaking fit subsides, I put her on my bed. "Now stay put. Skye and I are going to be gone most of the day."

                "We're only going to _one _party," Skye says from behind me. 

                "I'll see you tonight before we go to the haunted house," I tell Navi, patting her on the head. She eyes my tunic one more time, shakes her head, and lies down. 

                "We're _not _going to be gone all day," Skye says. "Like I said, it's only one party."

                "Knowing you, that could be a day and a night," I say. 

Ouch. 

She hit me. 

Again. 


	4. Chapter four

Okay, thanks to everyone who reviewed. It makes me happy, it really does. Oh, and I'm sorry if things are a bit weird, almost like I have a lot of typos or something because the keyboard I'm working on sucks. Okay, replies.

Juna- Thanks for the praise. *blushes* Ah, no, I get all nervous when people think my writing's good. Anyway, I've got things planned out for everyone. And I think you'll find something interesting in this chapter ^_^

Oh, and there's a little interlude thing at the end of this chapter, concerning something that happens to Skye. It's in normal P.O.V, and past tense. If you don't like, let me know and I won't do another one, otherwise there might be more as the story goes on.

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda. 

  


This party's boring. 

Why am I still here? 

Where'd Skye get to?

And, most importantly, WHY THE HECK ISN'T THERE ANY FOOD?? 

"Liiiiiiiink!" A sing-song voice rings out from the crowd. Oh, dear, it's the mad woman who has a crush on me. Before I know it, arms are wrapped about my neck and I'm carting an extra hundred or so pounds. 

"Ruto . . . get off . . . darnit," I choke out as I'm brought down to the ground by her weight. "I don't need to be carrying you on my shoulders!" 

"Oh, but Liiiiiiiink," she whines. "You know you love me!!" I'm choking. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm turning blue. Where's a mirror? I wanna see if I'm turning blue or not. Not even the fake sword on my back stops her from pressing her body to mine. 

"No, Ruto . . . honestly, I don't," I gasp. 

"Ruto, get _off, _darnit, you're choking him!" 

I'm saved!! I turn to my rescuer, fully prepared to grovel at their feet.

Oh, it's only Skye. Never mind. 

"Thanks," I offer as Skye shoos Ruto off into the crowd and pulls me to my feet. I give a half-hearted glare at Ruto, who's sulking in a corner, watching me out of the corner of her eye. She scares me. What's more, is she's dressed up as an old-time Zora, from the stories about old Hyrule. With the fins and everything. For some odd reason, those have always scared me. The zoras, I mean. 

"Hyrule to Link, Hyrule to Link, this is Skye speaking, why are you not responding?" Skye's rapping my skull with her knuckles. 

"That hurts," I say, pulling away from her. She laughs at me. I scowl at her. 

"What else am I supposed to do when you're not responding to anything I say?" she asks. I ignore the question walk through the crowd. Kenya walks up to me, smiling, obviously pleased that I'm wearing the costume. 

"You like it?" Kenya asks. She points to the costume. "I asked my mom about it and she says that it relates to one of the heroes in the old Hyrulian legends or something. But that's all she knows."

"One of the old Hyrulian legends, huh?" I ask. "Those things are so old, no one knows them anymore."

"Mom says that the books on this legend were burned in the last great war we had," she says, and sighs. The war was about twenty years before I was born. Something about overthrowing the monarchy because the feudal system's unfair. If I remember correctly, the rebels lost. Of course, we're not so low-trodden as the people in the old stories with slaves in everything. I guess, if you want to be truthful about it, the war was a great big waste because a few people wanted to have presidents and crap like the other countries that are miles away from here and don't have anything to do with us anyway.

"Sad," I offer, trying to keep up the conversation. "Too bad no one knows them either." Kenya sighs.

"Yeah," she says with a half-hearted grin. There seems to be a lie in her eyes, though. I ignore the sudden chills and turn around to make sure that Skye isn't getting herself into any trouble and to see where Ruto has gone off to. When that's done, I turn back to Kenya, who's offering me a drink. 

"Thanks," I say, taking it from her. "Have they got any leads on whoever stole that emerald?"

"Link," she says. "It bothers you that much?"  
Yeah, it does for some reason. But I shrug.

"Just curious," I say. She frowns. "Hey! I have a right to be curious just as everyone else does." Kenya sighs.

"Yeah, but I think that you're interested in the wrong things," Kenya says, her frown darkening. Okay, she's beginning to freak me out. I'm gonna go over here now. I walk away from Kenya. Suddenly I hear Skye let out an ear-piercing scream. 

"Skye!!" I yell, running in the direction of her voice. Skye's trapped in a bunch of vine-like things that are wrapping themselves around her arms and legs. "Don't worry! I'll get you out of there!" I hear Kenya scream suddenly and I whirl around to see her trapped in the same vine-like things that have Skye. "Kenya!!" I stop suddenly, unsure of which one to save, and which one to leave. "Why does this have to be so hard?" I whisper. 

_"Little Link is confused," _whispers a voice from who-knows-where. I turn around and around, looking for some sort of source. Of course, I find nothing. _"Who should Little Linkie save??" _

"Just who the hell are you?" I demand, trying to find a wall to back into to minimize the directions where I can be attacked from. Suddenly I remember the movies where things come out of the walls, and return to my former spot. 

_"Little Linkie didn't move quickly enough!" _the voice taunts. I whirl around in circles several times before I know what it means. 

Kenya and Skye are hanging limply from the vine-things. I wasn't quick enough to save them. 

"Who are you and what do you want from me?" I demand. I'm struck suddenly in the back of my head, and I pass out. 

  


********** Skye's adventure ***********

  


The last thing Skye could remember was watching Link whirl around in circles stupidly while her air supply was cut off by the vine that had wrapped itself around her neck. She saw Kenya pass out, and then she followed not a second after. 

  


Skye woke in a cold cell where the walls were made out of rock like the old castle dungeons from the movies were. She had a monster headache that dulled her vision for a few moments. When she could see clearly, she automatically made a mental note that there were no doors or windows to be seen. It was like someone teleported her here. 

"Where am I?" she asked. The walls caught the sound and bounced it back and forth between each other; an echo. Skye growled. "So much for that plan. It's not like I expected it to work anyway." 

_ You're trapped within your own mind, _came a voice from the walls. 

"What the hell?" Skye asked. She ran to one of the walls and hit it as hard as she could with a strong side kick. There was a loud boom, and a few stones rattled loose. Skye grinned. _I'll get out of here yet, _she thought. 

_You're trapped within your own mind, _whispered the voice again. _When you passed out, my master was able to weave a spell to trap your consciousness in your mind. Your body is with me. _Skye paused. Either she was dreaming, or hallucinating. Right now, she didn't like the sound of either one.

"Sooo, where is your master?" Skye asked, looking about the chamber. If the voice was right, and she really was trapped inside her own mind, then she'd better get to like this place. 

_The realm of Evil, _the voice whispered, before it faded away. With it gone, Skye felt as if an enormous pressure had been lifted, and her headache dulled to a slow throb. Skye walked over and sat down, bracing her back against the wall. It was shaky, but still not loose enough to give way. 

"Dang it," Skye whispered, beating it half-heartedly with her hands. _What's going on here? _


	5. Chapter five

Okay, everyone-don't worry about who relates to whatever Zelda character. I've got it planned out already. Oh, and the Ruto thing. . . *rubs back of neck sheepishly* it was just some randomness that I thought would be funny. She's not going to play a major part . . . heck that scene was probably her last appearance. No offense, but I rather dislike Ruto. She scares me, really, she does. 

I come to slowly, listening to a gentle voice murmur something above me. I open my eyes, but all I can make out are distant shapes. Something stops moving and then something else starts. 

Sweet Nayru, am I _confused._

The shapes come into focus, and I see a pair of deep blue eyes staring into my own. 

So I do what any normal kid in this situation would do. 

"AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHH!" 

There's a girlish shriek and the eyes move away. I sit up quickly, but realize that was a mistake as my head starts pounding and I fall back down onto what feels like a really comfortable bed. I roll to one side, ignoring the wave of nausea that overwhelms me, and I see some sort of room. There's a girl with long blonde hair and . . . hold on. . . that's a pink dress. She's obviously a princess. Cheesy Halloween costumes. Anyway, she's shaking her head. She pauses, and I feel myself grinning sheepishly as I realize that I've startled her. 

"I'm sorry," I say. "I didn't realize you were . . . human." Sounds like a bad thing to say, but after the vine-things, who knows anymore. Hang on . . . the vine-things.

Skye and Kenya! They're not safe! 

I try to get up, but am pushed down by two pink-gloved hands. 

"You're staying down until I'm sure you're all right," says a female voice. I look up into the same blue eyes as before, except this time I can see clearly and they're framed by blonde hair. I sit up carefully, and receive a slap to the face. "You had me worried, Link!" 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I say, looking the girl over. "What's going on? How do you know my name?" The girl smiles. 

"Ah, yes, I should've known that you wouldn't remember," she says. "A spirit represses its memories every time it reincarnates." I take a moment to sort that sentence out. Then I realize I know what she's talking about. Spirits don't lose memories, they repress them so that they can live a new life without any regret of the past . . . you know, just stuff like that. 

"So you mean you're someone I knew in my past life?" I look up at her. Now that I think about it, there weren't any costumes like the dress she has on at the stores, and she just looks so natural in it. . . . 

"Yes and no," she says in reply to my question. "I am Zelda, or at least it's what I like to think." I tilt my head in interest, wanting her to continue. "Rather, I am the part of the spirit that contains the repressed memories of the current Zelda." Once again, I have to take a moment to work out what she said. 

"So why aren't you with the current Zelda then?" I ask. "Why are you here-wherever we are-taking care of me?" I don't know if she was taking care of me, but it seemed like she was. She said she was worried about me, after all. I see Zelda's hands clench against the folds of her skirt. 

"I don't know," she says. "Something must have happened to my current form, something enough to knock me out. If I were to merge with the rest of the spirit again, she might remember everything." 

"Why would that be a bad thing?" I ask. "I always thought it would be cool if someone could remember things from their past life." 

"There are many things that I regret," Zelda says. "Things that I could not have helped. It would just be better if she didn't know." She smiles at me. "You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

"Nope," I say.

"I keep forgetting you aren't the Link from long ago," she says. Now I'm interested. There was a Link way back whenever this Zelda is from? "Although . . . if there's something bad going on . . . then it wouldn't hurt you to regain the memories of the past. It's really up to you, though. Do you want to listen to what I have to tell you about your past life?" I open my mouth slightly. There's a chance that this could change my life forever . . . but that only happens in the movies, right? 

I nod.

  


************* Somewhere else *************

  


"Master Ganon says that there should be nine." The voice came from the darkest corner of the room, where the outline of a female figure could just barely be seen sitting on a throne of some sort. "The six of the sage's have been scattered about Hyrule. Some have been discovered and put into jewelry shops, the others lay buried at the bottom of dangerous temples."

"What about the other three?" A creature with green, bubbling skin bowed to the figure in the corner, keeping its head down as it spoke. "Master Ganon's minions and I cannot find those."

"Don't be stupid, Jeak," the female figure snapped. "The last three are with those who hold the Triforce pieces." Jeak, the creature with the green, bubbling skin, looked up at her. Two fingers were intertwined in a delicate chain that supported a crystal stone with light blue veins running through it. "And as it so happens, we have a Triforce holder right here." 

  


************ Now, back to Link (while the authoress feels like she's running a comedy act) 

  


I sit, stunned, on the edge of the bed while Zelda paces. From what I gather, we're in the sacred realm of the sages.

"I'm sorry," she says. "I never should have offered that to you. I never should have told you."

But I can't hear her. 

I was a hero?

The fabled Hero of Time? 

That no one in my time has ever heard of? 

"Of any of the stories that I've ever heard of old Hyrule," I say. I haven't heard many, but enough. "This one sounds the most absurd. The most unreal." Zelda stares at me with worry in her blue eyes while mumbling something about being sorry. "How do I know you're telling me the truth?" I turn to face her, my eyes blazing. "Hell, how do I even know this is real? This can't be real! This is some dream! I ate too much at the party!!" 

"You're in denial," Zelda says calmly. I don't stop to wonder why she's suddenly changed the "I'm-so-sorry" mode, I just cover my ears with my hands and fall to the ground, tears in my eyes. "Something hurts." She kneels down next to me and wraps her arms around me."Tell me what hurts."

"My friends," I say, looking up at Zelda. "I think that Ganon guy you were talking about is coming back." 

"Why?" Zelda whispers. "Why do you think that?" 

"Because," I say. "My friends . . . Skye and Kenya. We were at a party when these vine-things attacked. I think they had something to do with Ganon, because I heard a voice. Something about, 'Who should Link save?'"

"Who _did_ you save?" 

"Neither," I say. "Something knocked me out while I was turning in circles. I don't know what happened to them." I feel Zelda put a hand under my chin. She's forcing me to look up at her. I see pity in her eyes. 

"I'll help you," she says. "I can barely hold a form out of the sacred realm, because I'm just a spirit, but I'll help you find your friends." I look at her, my eyes wide with surprise. 

"Why?" I ask. When she doesn't answer, I take a new route. "What can I do for you in return?" There's no answer again, just silence. "Zelda!" I get up and grab her by the shoulders, nearly shaking her in anger. "You can't just do something like this and not expect anything in return!"

"There is something you can do for me," she says. "Find the current Zelda, help me bond with her and help her regain her memories, and then help her defeat Ganon." I let go of Zelda's shoulders. 

That's a lot to ask. 

But yet I feel as if it's what I need to do. 

"Deal," I tell Zelda, shaking her hand. "Now get us out of here. Even if this is a dream, we've got so much to do before I wake up." Zelda smiles and begins chanting. Our bodies glow with light and I see the sacred realm fading away, and my world fading in. Even as I look up to the sun that shines over Hyrule, I know. 

This isn't a dream.

This is a shocking reality, and I need to keep up with it. 

Because if I don't, it's gonna eat me alive. 


	6. Chapter six

All righty then!! I am BACK and ready to get this story on the road. Oi, I haven't had too much time to work on much of anything lately. I had this big project at school and . . . hang on, I still have that big project. Crap. 

Ah, well, I suppose it doesn't matter. 

Juna: Ah, yes, yes, you idea of the stone thing. The actual explanation isn't in this chapter, but in the next. Actually, I wasn't planning on the disembodied Zelda/repressed memories thing, but I didn't want to reveal who Zelda is in the fifth chapter. That kinda just throws the suspense down the drain, doesn't it? Oh, it'll be a while before Link gets to kill things, I have to get through all the stupid explanations first. 

Tom: Thank you very much for the praise, though I doubt you'll like this chapter very much (it gets a little strange later on . . . when Navi meets Zelda . . . ) Oh, and you're correct about the "hell" thing. Thanks for pointing that out for me. From now on (and, if I have the time later, I'll revise the first chapters) how about, "What the goddesses is going on here?" instead of "hell". If you don't like it, let me know, and I'll start thinking up another revision. 

Disclaimer: Yeah, so I don't own Zelda. How many times have we heard this?

"So," I say. "We're . . . back."

Cheesy and cliche, yes, but sometimes you just need to get the point across. 

Zelda walks up to where I am standing and puts a hand on my shoulder. And suddenly, I am reminded of the promise I made to her. I also have to go find Skye and Kenya. Too many things to do, so little time . . . 

"Where do we start?" I ask. Zelda shakes her head. It's obvious that she doesn't know any more than I do about this whole thing. If what she told me is true (not that I doubt it is) then she probably doesn't have much memory of this time and place. "You don't . . . know this place, do you?" 

"No," Zelda whispers, spinning around several times, trying to get her bearings. I turn, too, but only until I can see the house where the vine-things had been. It looks completely normal now, no sign that anything out of the ordinary is going on. 

I sigh. 

"Well, come on," I say, grabbing Zelda's almost ghostly hand. It looks pale and transparent, but it definitely has some solid form. I turn to look at her, trying to walk backwards. "How long can you hold this solid-shape thing?" 

"I don't know," she says, allowing herself to be pulled by me. "Not very long, I wouldn't think." 

That's going to be a problem, I can tell already. 

"Well, isn't there something you can do?" I ask, continuing trying to walk backwards. It doesn't work, I trip. Zelda's hands shoot out and make a grab for me. 

They pass right through me. 

I try and ignore the cold feeling that washes over me.

I don't think it's working. 

"That's an answer I was afraid of," I say, wincing as I pick myself up off the ground. Zelda blushes, looking at her hands. "Is there any way you could get the solid-shape back? It might come in useful."

"I would have to return to the Sacred Realm," she says, putting her hand through a stop-sign nearby.

That's a little unnerving, so I'm just going to look somewhere else now. 

"I don't know," I say, biting my lip, trying to think of an answer to this problem. "Would there be any way that I could contact you? For you to find me from the sacred realm?"

"I think so," Zelda says. "It's called the mind-link. I've-we've done it before. If we're linked, then I can track your magical energy, and even speak to you, and you to me." I nod, slowing thinking of the possibilities. 

"One thing," I say. "I don't remember how to do the mind-link." 

"I think that I can awaken it in your memory," Zelda says. 

Think? That doesn't sound very comforting.

"Let me try," Zelda says. Her hands move out toward me, and I close my eyes. There's a warm feeling washing over me, prying into my brain. I open my eyes and blink a few times before I can register what I'm seeing.

There's a blue light-I can only assume it's magic-flowing out from Zelda's body into my own. The prying intensifies, and I close my eyes again. 

This had better work. 

"I think that's it," she says. I open my eyes to see her pulling her hands away from me. Something feels different in me, as if something more is there. "I had to reawaken some of your magic for you to be able to do the mind-link." That's what it is, then. Magic. Very interesting. "You should know how to mind-link to me now. Call me when you're ready to start searching for your friends." She begins to vanish. 

"Wait!" I yell, the realization that I don't know how to do the mind-link washing over me, making me panic. "What if I _don't _know how to do the mind-link thing?" 

Too late, she's gone. 

Well, that's crap. I turn around and get ready to walk home, glancing behind me to make sure that no vine-things are following me. Hang on, better yet. . . .

I dash into the house, wondering if anyone's there. 

I come running out a minute later being chased by someone's angry mother.

Apparently she's not too pleased with the party that was thrown. 

So I go with my original plan to go back home. 

"Link!!"

Mother greets me with a large hug, cutting off my air for a minute or to before Dad comes into the room. He instantly says that we need to talk-in that calm scary voice that lets you know that your parents are pissed and don't want to yell at you. I gulp and follow them into the kitchen, head hanging. There's an angry squeak, and Navi jumps on me, running about my chest and shoulders.

"I'm all right, you little ferret, I'm fine," I say. 

Oh, they don't know how much of a lie that is. 

"She's been worried about you," Mother says. Navi sniffs at me and squeaks loudly. 

"Really?" I ask sarcastically as I try to get the terrified ferret to settle down. "I couldn't tell." 

"Link," Dad says, crossing his arms. "I want to know why you were out all night. You scared your mother to death."

"All night?" I yelp. Have I been in the sacred realm that long? It sure doesn't feel like I have. "Wow."

"What were you doing?" Mother asks, shaking her head at Navi, who's staring up at me, narrowing her eyes as best a ferret can. Well, I have quite a bit to explain. Where to start. . . . 

"I, er, met someone, a girl," I said. Mother and Dad suck in their breath as two horrified gasps. "No!!" I say, going red. "Not like that at all! I . . . got sick at the party, I was really out of it."

"Why didn't you call?" Mother asks.

"I wanted to, but I couldn't hardly lift a finger," I say, praying my parents will buy the story. Heh, like they'd believe I was attacked by vine-things and saved by a disembodied princess. "I remember passing out, and when I woke up enough to see where I was, there was this girl."

"The girl took care of you, then?" Dad asks. I nod. 

"That's what she said, at least," I say. "Once I was feeling better, she helped me out a little bit, getting me onto my feet, and walking me halfway home, to make sure I didn't pass out again." 

"What a nice young lady," Mother says. I sigh. Zelda _was _nice, but what was I supposed to do when Mother wanted to meet her? "Link?" I look up; Mother's staring at me. I feel her put a hand on my forehead. "Oh, Link, you're burning up!! You go right to bed!!" 

"But I feel fine!!" I say, jumping up. Navi bites me on the ear. I scowl. "You're on their side, then." 

I swear, if ferrets could grin, then Navi would have the most smug look on her face right now. 

"Off to bed with you!!" Mother says. 

I'm sitting up in bed an hour later with a cup of tea Mother brewed me, and a few good books Dad lent me, when I decide to call Zelda. Let's review first, Dad's downstairs, watching the after-Halloween game, Mother's probably getting rid of the extra candy we always have after Halloween. (Halloween is one of the few occasions where my family buys sweets. Mother's anti-sugar woman.) Navi's downstairs with Dad-I can't have the ferret freaking out when Zelda appears and alarming my parents. 

_ Now, how do I do this? _I wonder. I sit for a few moments, head in my hands, thinking, before the strange feeling that Zelda called my magic comes back. Suddenly, it rushes up to my head. _I . . . guess I should. . . . talk now. _

_ *Link?* _Hey!! That's Zelda's voice!! I did it!!

_*Zelda?* _I ask, just to make sure. 

_*I was wondering what was taking you so long!!* _she says. I can hear relief in her voice. 

_*Sorry, my parents went psycho on me,* _I say. _*Supposedly I was out all night.* _

_*You were,* _Zelda says. _*I'm sorry, I should have thought about that.* _

_ *It's all right,* _I say. _*I'm alone right now, so I guess you should come over here . . . to this realm, I mean.*_

_ *All right.*_

_ *But . . . please be quiet,* _ I ask. She doesn't answer, but a gentle breeze floats through the room, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I look up, and Zelda's there, clasping her hands together and muttering something. I smile for some unknown reason. She stops the chant, and looks up at me. For a moment she stares, slowly going red. 

"Oh, Nayru!" she cries, turning and clapping her hands over her eyes. "I didn't realize you were in bed!!" 

I didn't think I looked _that _bad. 

"What do you mean?" I ask, getting up and putting a hand on her shoulder. She eyes me out of the corners of her eyes. 

"I-in the time I come from, it's considered impolite to see someone in bed unless you are married to them," she whispers. She curls her hands into fists and puts them down by her sides. "We're not married, Link." Her voice is cold and rough, something I'm not used to hearing from her. 

I guess I hit a sensitive memory. 

"Well," I say. "In this time and age, it's all right, so come on, we need to plan this whole thing out." I grab her and make her turn to face me. She hangs her head, but after a few moments, looks at me. She's a bright red color. It'll take some getting used to for her, but it'll be fine. Either way, it's not like I'm undressed or anything. For some odd reason, I'm still in my Halloween costume. Mother never made me change. 

"Do you hear something, Link?" Zelda asks suddenly, tilting her head, listening. I pause, then I hear it, too. 

"Oh, shit!!" I exclaim. "My parents are coming!" The sound Zelda heard was the stairs. "Quick, under the bed!!" I grab her arm and toss her under the bed, dislodging the sheets in an attempt to hide her. I dive into the remaining blanket just as my door opens.

"Link?" my mother asks, coming into the room. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," I say. "I think I might go out for a walk or something later." I notice she's got Navi in her arms, who's sniffing the air. I hope she can't smell Zelda, or I'm screwed. Mother clucks her tongue and begins rearranging the blanket on my bed.

"Don't overexert yourself, dear," she says. "I thought I left you with more than one blanket. Ah, there they are." She bends down to pick up the pile of sheets that's hiding Zelda, but I beat her to it. 

"I'll take care of them!" I say, picking up the pile but hiding Zelda behind me. "Just go relax and watch the game with Dad!" 

She shakes her head at me. 

"Navi wants to be in here," she says. She sets the said ferret down on my bed. "She was going crazy, scratching at your door." 

"Ah," I said. "That's because she _loves _me." I dump the sheets and grab Navi and squeeze her tightly, hoping Mother'll buy it. She shakes her head at me once more and leaves the room. "That was close." I dump Navi next to the sheets and walk around my room. "Why don't you take a nap now that you're in here, Navi?" I look over at her, smiling. 

Sweet Farore, is she _glaring _at me?

"Come on," I say, spreading my arms as she jumps at me. She catches herself, barely, and begins to sniff at me. "You know I'm not hiding anything." I laugh and set her on the bed, turning my back to her, waiting for her to fall asleep or something.

"Actually, Link, I believe you _are _hiding something," says a high-pitched female voice that isn't Zelda. "and judging by the amount of magic radiating around your room, I'd say it's a big something." I whirl around and see Navi sitting up perfectly straight, glaring at me. 

Din help me, the ferret's talking. . . . 

I'VE GONE MAD!!!!!! 

"I didn't know ferrets could talk," I offer weakly. Navi squints at me through her beady ferret eyes. 

"I'm not a ferret," Navi says. 

That should be a surprise to me. 

_Why _isn't it a surprise to me? 

"I'm-" Navi says, but is cut off. 

"Navi?" Zelda asks, coming out from under the bed. She stands up and takes a good look at Navi before bursting into laughter. Navi makes a "huff"ing motion, trying to cross her small arms, with little luck.

"It's not _that _funny, Princess," Navi says. 

"Y-you just look so . . . different from the last time I saw you," Zelda gasps in between bursts of laughter. "Oh, sweet Nayru . . . oh. I'm sorry Navi, truly I am." Navi tilts her head at the princess in sudden confusion. 

"Princess . . . haven't you been reincarnated?" Navi asks. "Even if you are the Seventh Sage, all the others have been reincarnated, even Link." Her eyes dart to me and back to Zelda.   
"My soul was reincarnated," Zelda says. "This isn't a body, really. It's more of a solid form that I can hold outside of the sacred realm."

"That really doesn't explain _why _you're not part of the new body," Navi says. 

Is it just me, or does the ferret really seem to know what she's talking about?

"Something happened that knocked the current Zelda's memories out of her body," Zelda says. "I'm the memories. I don't know what caused it, though. Link thinks Ganondorf is coming back." She looks over to me, and I nod.

"Explain something to me," I say, before they can carry on with the conversation. "_What _exactly is going on with my ferret? Why do you two seem to know each other?" 

"Well, I was about to explain before the Princess interrupted me," Navi said."I'm not really a ferret. The ferret form is just a disguise. I'm really a fairy from long-ago Hyrule. I keep the ferret form because in this day and age, it's uncommon to see a fairy." She turns to Zelda. "I swear, the magic has just died out of this place." 

"How can you say you're _from _long-ago Hyrule?" I ask. "Why reincarnated like the rest of us?" 

"Fairies are . . . immortals, of sorts," Navi says. "We can die from illnesses, or wounds suffered to our physical bodies, but we don't age, therefore we cannot die of natural causes." 

"Uh-huh," I say. "Hang on. . . . You said something about the ferret form being just a disguise. What's your true form look like?" 

"Like this," Navi says. She suddenly emits a bright flash of white light, and I am temporarily blinded. When I can blink the spots from my vision, I see a floating ball of light with wings.

No, hang on.

I look closer at it. Inside the light there is a small female body brushing silver glowing hair out of her eyes. 

"Goddesses," I whisper, sitting down hard on the bed. "I think I liked you better as a ferret." I see the tiny lips smile at me before Navi speaks again.

"I know," she said. "When I first met you-the past form of you-you would have never been able to imagine me as a ferret." An interested look spreads over her face. "Actually, I don't think you knew what ferrets were. They're a relatively new breed, introduced to Hyrule less than a hundred years ago. Trust me, I lived through it." 

"Yay," I say sarcastically. "This is _so _confusing."

"It's all right," Zelda says. "We find me, we return me to my body, and I can lock Ganondorf away again. You won't have to do much."

"That's what you said last time," Navi tells Zelda in a bored tone. I see Zelda's eyes turn to ice, but they defrost before she turns back to Navi. 

"If we get going now, then what I say will be true," Zelda tells Navi, clipping her syllables, obviously angry with the fer . . . fairy. 

Dang, it's hard to get used to that. 

"Well then," Navi says. "Let's get going before this turns into last time." 

I don't want to know what "last time" was like. 


	7. Chapter seven

Hey there! Here's another chapter!! (Which none of you deserve because only ONE person reviewed) 

Okay, this has got to be the most confusing, most complicated, most whatever thing I have ever written. 

But I'm in a writer's block. So stay with me, no matter how strange it may get. 

Well, that's it. 

-Nagem.

Oh, and MORE PEOPLE had BETTER REVIEW this time, or I won't continue this story!!

"So. . . . " I say. "Where do I start?" 

"You mean, where do _we _start," Navi says, hovering above my head. "Link, we're all in this together." 

I guess she's right. 

"I don't know," Zelda says. "I have no idea what's been going on in this time. I don't know what would be considered a warning or anything. Link . . . has anything strange been going on?" 

"Nothing," Navi says. "Absolutely nothing." I nod to agree with her, but, something's not right here. I know something's not right here, I just can't place it. I sit down on my bed to think about it, while Zelda and Navi converse about what could lead us to Ganondorf. I hear snatches of it. 

The sages, whoever they are (I have yet to figure it out) 

The Triforce pieces. (Hey, I think I've heard about those)

The spiritual stones; if I remember correctly, those are the sapphire, ruby, and. . . . . 

"The _emerald!!_" I cry, getting to my feet. Navi and Zelda stare. "The emerald. Navi, you haven't heard about it, but there was an emerald stolen from some jewelry shop. It bothered me and bothered me, and I couldn't figure out why!! But now I think it might have something to do with Ganondorf!!" 

"That was slightly unexpected," Navi says after a few moments. "You think so, Link?" 

"He might have a point," Zelda says. "The spiritual stones _do _have an emerald among them." I nod, they're actually believing me! 

I'd do the happy dance, but I would embarrass myself, plus my parents . . . . 

MY PARENTS!!

"Navi, Zelda, hush," I say. I hear them go quiet. "My parents are downstairs. It's amazing they haven't heard us!!" Navi smirks suddenly. 

"Don't worry," she says. "They've got the game on really loud down there; it'll be a miracle if they do hear us." 

I relax. 

"The . . . game?" Zelda says. 

"Football," I grunt. "The newest religion." I hear Zelda gasp and clap her hands to her mouth. 

"They don't worship Din, Nayru and Farore anymore?" Zelda asks breathlessly. "But . . . the Triforce, the power of the gods. . . . "

"Relax," I say, trying to calm her down. "I was joking. It's just a really popular sport that people like to watch. Some are more into it than they are their own lives, that's all I meant." Zelda visibly relaxes. "What about the Triforce?" I ask on a sudden impulse. 

"The Triforce was left somewhere in Hyrule after the goddesses departed after our creation," Zelda says. "Naturally, with Ganondorf trying to obtain it, we all discovered where it was." 

"Maybe it'd be easier to explain if you released my old memories," I offer. Usually I'd love to stall for time, but something in me keeps nagging to save Skye, where ever she got to. Actually, I don't know for sure if she's kidnaped or dead. One phone call. . . . "Hey, Zelda," I say. 

"Hm?" Zelda murmurs, obviously in the middle of planning. What happened to explaining the Triforce to me?

"I need to go make a phone call," I say, completely forgetting that she probably doesn't know what a phone is. 

"Phone?"

"I'll explain later," I say. "Or, better yet, Navi could explain to you."

"Hey!" Navi says. "You're not going to make me-"

But I've already left the room. 

I dash past Dad (who's watching the football game) to the phone. I pick it up and begin to dial Skye's number, hoping that she's all right. The dull ringing continues for a few moments, and then I hear Sensei's voice. He sounds uptight.

Not a good sign.

"Sensei?" I ask. "It's Link. May I talk to Skye?" 

"Link!" he says. He sounds relieved. "Thank goodness you're all right!" 

"What?"

"It was on the news," Sensei says. "The party you went to-something strange happened. There were these things-almost like aliens that were trying to kill people. We think they got-we think they got Skye. Kidnaped, I mean. No one has found a body." He sounds desperate, lost. 

"Oh-no," I whisper. That's not good. Not good at all. "I had no idea." 

That must be why Mother was so freaked out. 

"Link? You still there?" 

"Yeah," I mutter. "Thanks. I'll . . . keep an eye out for her."

"Thank you." And he hangs up. Not good. Not good, not good. I hang my head as I walk up the stairs back to where Navi and Zelda are still plotting. I sit down hard on the bed.

"Link?" Navi and Zelda say together. "Are you all right?" 

"I am," I say. "But Skye's not. She's missing." 

"What?" Navi says as Zelda offers her apology. "But . . . why?" 

"There were these vine-things at the party we went to," I say. "They had gotten Skye and Kenya, and I was trying to decide who to save when something hit me and I blacked out." I look at Zelda. "Were they there when you saved me?"

"No," she says, shaking her head. "They weren't. I'm sorry, Link."

"It's all right," I say. "There would have been nothing you could do about it anyway." 

"Well," Navi says. "We think we figured it out. Listen, we've got a plan." 

************ _Skye's Adventure_

Skye sat with her back braced against the walls of her mind. Her eyes seemed glazed over and tired. She mentally ticked away seconds, feeling her sanity slip further and further away. 

_How long has it been? Minutes? Hours? Days? Months, even? I can't tell. _

"Girl!" A shadowy figure walked toward her. 

_Do I even care? _

"Girl! Answer me! I know you're alive, awake!"

_I don't think I do. _

"Bitch," the figure hissed, grabbing the collar of Skye's ninja outfit and hauling her into the air. He looked into her glazed eyes as he hissed obscenities to her under his breath. He shook her, but her head simply lolled to one side. 

_Who's holding me up? _Skye wondered. She moved her head to see the figure. _Huh. What a strange guy. He's wearing such odd- HOLY GODDESSES! HE LOOKS LIKE LINK! _Her head snapped up, staring at the shadowed form of Link, who was holding her by her collar. "Who are you?" 

************* _End Skye's adventure._

"So, I have to find nine jewels," I say. "One representing each of the six sages, and then the three that represent the Triforce."

Goddess, does that sound hard. 

"Not really," Navi says. "The three that represent the Triforce fall with their respective owner."

"Huh?"

"The Triforce split into three parts," Zelda says, butting in where Navi can't quite get it straight. "Three different people got the three pieces. The jewels that represent the Triforce fall into the people who have the parts." 

"So . . . " I say, still confused. 

"You have the Triforce of Courage," Navi says. "Therefore, you already have one of the stones." 

"No I don't!" I say. "I would have noticed something like that long ago!" Navi flies over to a drawer and demands that I open it. I do so, shaking my head at Navi's claims. The fairy flies into the drawer and comes out with. . . . 

"Hey, that's _mine_!" I say, snatching the green jewel from her. "Navi, that's my family. . . . "

Heirloom. 

I _hate _it when people do this to me. 

Navi's smirking. "That's your jewel, representing the Triforce of Courage. Do you believe me now?" 

I nod. 

I really do hate it when they do stuff like this. 

"So, eight more to go," I say. 

"Hang on," Zelda says. "I should have the one representing the Triforce of Wisdom."

Wow. This is happening quicker than I thought. 

"So . . . can I have it?" I ask. She nods, and I feel her magic rise in the air. It hovers for a moment, then plummets. Zelda gasps and sits down hard. I put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?" 

"I can't," she gasps.

"What's the matter?" I ask. 

"The Triforce of Wisdom!" She looks at me, panicked. "I don't have it anymore!" 

That's not good.

I can tell when things aren't good. 

And things aren't good right now. 

"Well, where is it?" I ask.

"When whatever it was happened to my current form, the Triforce piece must have stayed with her!" Zelda gasps.

"Aw, man," I say. "So I have to find your current form, gather the jewels, save Skye and Kenya. . . . Is there anything else?" 

"Relax, Link," Navi says. "We'll work it out. Let's think about this."

_Damn _it! She sounds like one of those damn kindergarten teachers who think that treating me like a little kid will solve everything!

"I don't want to think!" I yell. "I want to make sure my friends are safe, and I want to forget that this ever happened!" Before Navi or Zelda can react, I storm out of my room, determined to get away from all this for a while. 

*****************_Skye's adventure (contin.) _

"I am Dark Link," the figure said. "Now, I want to talk to you about my lighter counterpart. _Where is he?_" 

_What does he want with Link? _Skye wondered. _At least . . . they haven't . . . they don't know where he is. I won't tell them. _

"Well, girl?" Dark Link demanded. 

"First off, you're going to have to call me by my real name," Skye said. As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. 

Like she'd _ever _tell this creep her real name!

"Well then," the figure hissed. "What's your real name?" 

"Uh . . . " Skye said, faltering. What was a good name that she could respond to? She shut her eyes. She couldn't think.

"You don't know," Dark Link said. He sounded amused. "A girl like you doesn't even know her name."

"If you're such a smart-ass, then tell me my real name!" Skye snapped. There was no way this man knew her name. It just wasn't possible. 

"I am a part of Link, so I know just as much about you as he does," Dark Link said. Skye stared at him, mouth agape. "Your name is Skye, and you're from Kakariko City." Skye swallowed hard as he recited information about her, trying to think of a witty comeback.

"If you're a part of Link, then why can't you find him?" The figure winced. _Score! _Skye thought. "Well? I'm waiting for a decent answer." 

"His location . . . is warded," Dark Link said. "Warded by the power of the Triforce, unlike his memories."

"Triforce?" Skye asked. It sounded familiar . . . . 

*******************_End Skye's adventure _

As I'm about to turn into the forest where Skye and I always spar, I see one of the haunted houses that had been put together for Halloween. They're taking it down, and as I watch them, an idea hits me. 

They only use two floors of the place to hold the haunted house. 

There's a basement that I saw last year when I helped take it down that no one else seemed to notice. 

"Well, it can't hurt to see if it's anything important," I say. I clutch the green jewel in my hand, put it into a pocket of my tunic, and head for the house. "I'm here to help clean-up," I tell the man at the door. 

"Whatever, kid," he says. "Just make sure that you don't get in the way." 

I ignore the snide comment and slip inside. I forgot how eerie this place looks when it's empty. I look around, my eyes trying to see past the fake-looking old wood to where the basement door is . . . hah! 

"Watch it!" A woman yells, almost barreling over me with a crate full of decorations. I dive out of the way, my hair barely brushing against the fake spiderweb sticking out over the edges of the box. "What are you doing kid? Clean-up's over!" 

"I think I saw something over there," I say, pointing at the basement door. 

"All right, whatever, go check it out," she says. 

She didn't notice the door. 

That makes me even more curious. 

I wait until the woman is out of sight, then walk over to the door. As I get near it, I clutch my head as a headache overtakes me. "This isn't. . . . " I whisper. I fall to my knees, unable to see past the pain. _Shit, this hurts. _

"It's magic, Link," says a voice. "Nothing physical can stop it." I feel Zelda's magic wash over and around me, and then the headache's gone. I look up to see Zelda, who's staring at the doorway. 

She can see it, then. 

"How'd you find me?" I ask. Navi flies out from under Zelda's hair. 

"Navi told me where you might go, that place where you practice fight," she says. 

"It's sparring," I hiss. 

"When we got there, we saw you walk in here, so we followed," Zelda says, completely ignoring me. "Oh, and your parents are perfectly nice people. I don't see why you needed to hide me from them."

"WHAT?" I demand, whirling around to face her. "You talked to my parents? Like _that?_" I make mad gestures at her dress. 

"She cast a spell so that she doesn't look out of place to normal people," Navi says. "But you can see through that. Good. It'll be useful later. Hey, Zel, is that door magicked?" 

"Yes," Zelda says. "I erased the spell hiding it." 

A spell. Was hiding the door. 

Oh, this is going to take some getting used to.

"Well," I say. "I vote we explore 'the-basement-that-no-one-else-ever-noticed-before-and-now-I-know-why' before anyone sees it and gets suspicious." I slam open the door and walk in. Navi looks at Zelda, who shrugs (I thought she was a _princess! _Shrugging is unprincesslike) and follows me in.

********************_Skye's adventure . . . again_

A smile cracked Dark Link's face. "The Triforce, my dear," he said. "Your friend Link is a hero. He's the legendary Hero of Time, who overthrew Ganondorf. Of course, who you know is just the reincarnation; it doesn't matter."

"Ganondorf?" 

"The King of Evil, my master," Dark Link said. 

"You're the voice!" Skye declared, glaring at him. "You're that voice I heard when I woke up in here! So he's the one who's got me trapped in here!" 

"Exactly," Dark Link. "Oh, little Skye, you have no idea how important you are, do you?" 


	8. Chapter eight

Okay, okay, more people reviewed *puts hands up in defeat* Heheheh. I guess I was just in a bad mood when I was writing, and that doesn't end up well. Well, here's the next chapter (which is about five pages long-the longest chapter so far. Woo hoo! Go me!) 

A few things, though. 

YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS CHAPTER!! I WILL NOT ANSWER THEM!!!

I don't know what everybody believes (or likes to believe) about the whole Zelda/Sheik thing, since it pops up in this chapter. Believe what you will (if anyone doesn't know, there's a rather large debate about Zelda really being Sheik-many of the fangirls don't like to think so) but for this story, I am remaining true to OoT. If it offends you, too bad. 

I think that's it for now. Well, RER!! (read, enjoy, review!)

I manage to take one or two long steps before I realize that it's dark. Really dark. I turn to Navi and Zelda. Navi lights it up a little bit, but not enough to travel by. Zelda crashes into me. I throw my hand out to what I hope is the wall to steady us, and make sure that we don't go tumbling down the old wooden staircase. 

"Sorry," Zelda breathes, leaning into me. "Oh, goddesses, I'm sorry." 

"It's all right," I say. "We're both fine. It's all right." I feel her weight move off of me, and I'm suddenly aware of _just _how dark it is and how lost I feel, even in the small space. "I just wish it wasn't so. . . . "

"Hey, what's with that door?" 

"I dunno. Want me to close it?"

"Sure." 

_SLAM _

"Dark," I finish lamely as the door slams shut. I hear the lock click, and the horrible truth dawns on me. 

We're locked in. 

With no way out. 

And I don't even have a flashlight. 

Navi flies in front of Zelda, illuminating her face. "Our only hope is to go in deeper and hope there's a back door," the fairy says. I nod, but Zelda doesn't look so sure. 

"We don't know how big this place is," she says. "Anything could be in here." I nod, she's right, too. 

But there's one point that I feel I should make. 

"We're not going to get anywhere without some sort of light other than Navi," I say. "Sure, she's bright, but not bright enough. We can't see where we're walking." Navi and Zelda stare at me in amazement. "Hey, I'm not stupid all the time." Zelda and Navi (I can barely make out her little fairy head through the light she's giving off) nod. There's a crackling sound, much like the ones a fire makes when it hits sap in the trees, and a fireball appears.

And it's floating on Zelda's hand. 

"It's a simple fire spell," she says when she notices my shocked look. "You should learn how to cast it." I nod, logging the sentence away into the back of my mind. "But . . . without the Triforce, I'm not sure how long I can keep it going." I look around-it's easier to see with Zelda's fireball. The landing looks like some sort of old mine shaft. The light illuminates about halfway down the stairs, and I can see stone beginning to peek out between rotting wooden boards. 

Unlike the rest of the house, the basement looks genuinely old. 

The wooden beams look like they could cave in at any time-we'd be safer down the stairs, where there's probably less wood that could fall on us. I notice a shaft of wood that has completely detached itself from the rest of the wall. 

"We can use this," I say, picking it up. I hold it out to Zelda's fireball; in moments it's ablaze. The fireball in Zelda's hand goes out. "Pick up some lose pieces of wood," I say. "When this burns low we can simply transfer the flame to the new plank."

"I always knew you could come up with ideas like these, Link," Zelda says, but I don't hear her. I'm too busy yelling at myself for not bringing a flashlight. 

We've gone through several planks of wood and traveled who knows how far into the basement when we hear a rumbling noise. Zelda-who's carrying the light-pauses, and I turn to look at her. 

"What is it?" I ask. 

"I don't know," she whispers. Navi sniffs the air. 

"It smells like old metal," she says. "Iron . . . I think. And it sounds like something is walking . . . LINK! IRON KNUCKLE, DEAD AHEAD!!" I have no idea what an iron knuckle is, but I whirl around as the owner of the gigantic footsteps comes into view. It's clad in iron armor, and I can see the handle of an axe on its back. It has arms, legs and a torso like a human, but they're all too thick, even with the armor. Way too thick. It pounds an iron-clad foot into the ground, creating a rumble to intense it knocks me off my feet. 

"What the goddesses?" I yell, scrambling backward, away from it. Navi lands on my shoulder.

"Fight it, Link! Fight it!" she screams. I nod, and run toward it. As it notices me, it pulls out its axe and swings horizontally. I dive, rolling under the blade, and come up at its feet. Without thinking, I curl one hand into a fist, and throw a punch at the iron torso. 

_CLANG!_

"OW!!!" I yell, holding my hand and jumping away from the iron knuckle as he tries to grab me with his bare hands. "I think I broke my hand, Din damn it!" I hear the sound of metal whistling through the air, and look up in time to see Navi bounce into the Iron Knuckle's head to stop a vertical blow that would have cut me in half. I hear Navi screaming to go see Zelda, and I run to the disembodied princess. "This hurts," I say once I get to her. 

"Here," she says. She takes a hold of my hand and begins to stretch out the fingers. I yelp, but she creates circles around my hand with her fingers on the other hand, and I see white light. The rings of white light turn blue, and then red before blending in with my flesh. The pain dulls considerably. "I've healed the main break, but I wouldn't suggest punching anything for a while." I notice that she's thrown the lit plank of wood with the others, and they've created a large bonfire that lights up most of the tunnel we're in. 

I ignore the fire. "If I can't punch it, how am I supposed to fight it?" I demand. 

"You'd need a sword," Zelda says. "Here, Link. You distract it while I get behind and attack from there."

"But how would you-?" I begin to ask, but there's a bright flash of light. I hear Navi shriek and look at the Iron Knuckle just in time to see a blur of blue and white fly past it. "What the-?" Navi comes flying into me. "Are you all right?" 

"Yeah," Navi says, holding her head. "Just got too close." 

"Link!!" yells a voice. It's a mix between a male's and a female's, something I've never heard before. I look at the Iron Knuckle, who has its back turned to me, to see the blur of white and blue dodge a blow from the axe. "Distract it, so I can attack, damn it!" 

I gape. "_Zelda?_" I ask. I look down to Navi, who's smirking. 

"Nope," she says. "Sheik." 

"Wait wait wait," I say. "Who the goddesses is _Sheik_?" At that moment, I hear the dull thud of a blade cleaving flesh, and turn to see the Iron Knuckle fall flat on it's face, a knife sticking out of the back of it's neck. Someone stands behind it, wearing a blue bodysuit, a mask, and what looks like a turban on the top of their head. He (_She?_ I wonder) turns to me. 

"Glad I carry those daggers with me, otherwise we'd be done for," he (who I can only assume is Sheik) says. It's the same voice, a mix between a male's and a female's. "Now, come on, Link. We need to get you a decent weapon." Sheik turns and walks off. 

"Uh, Sheik," Navi says. "I don't think he remembers. . . . "

"Who are you?" I ask to Sheik's back. He freezes, and turns to me. 

"Sorry," he says. "I forgot that you don't remember." He puts his hands to his face, and there's a flash of bright light. I cover my eyes, wincing. When I can see again, Zelda is standing where Sheik was with a sheepish grin on her face. 

"Hang on," I say, beginning to figure it out. "You aren't saying. . . . "

"Sheik is my alter-ego," Zelda says. "That's how I hid from Ganondorf back in old Hyrule."

"Oh," I say. 

"Told ya so," Navi says, sticking her tongue out at Zelda, who turns into Sheik again. I open my mouth to ask, but she stops me. 

"After that Iron Knuckle, it's safer for me to travel like this," she says. I turn to the said monster and stare at it. 

What was something like that doing down here? 

Perhaps I aught to get a weapon. 

Like a sword. . . . 

"Hey," I say. "Where can we get a weapon?" 

"Our best bet is the Temple of Time, where the Master Sword lies," Sheik says. "Unfortunately, I have no idea where that is. I don't even have any idea where we are." 

"Kakariko City," I reply. "Hang on a minute, they said there was an old well here before this house was built." 

"Then this is the bottom of the well," Sheik says. I nod. "Well then. That gives me some idea of where we are. Okay, here's what we'll do. We'll find a way out of here, and I'll try to get us to the Temple of Time."

"Sounds good," I say.

"For now, you'll have to do with one of these," Sheik says, throwing me a dagger. I almost fumble it, not used to having a real blade in my hands after all the wooden swords I used in karate. Once I've caught it, Sheik is satisfied. She turns to go, and I run back to the bonfire of planks and fish one that's not totally burnt up out of the pile. Even though I get the plank, I am rewarded with several burns. 

"Ouch," I wince as I run to catch up with Sheik. "Hey, if you see any wood, lemme know." I motion to the burning wood. Sheik, looking sheepish as one can with a mask, turns to see the bonfire she started when the Iron Knuckle appeared. 

We travel for a while, and just when I think that the wood in my hands is about to burn out, we emerge into a brightly-lit chamber. I look about, wondering where the light came from, but Sheik nudges me and motions to the ceiling, where a hole is. I go and stand directly under it, peering up. I can see blue skies, and I know that where ever we are, we've gotten out from the basement of the house. 

"It's official," I say. "I have no idea where we are, only that we're out of the house." Sheik and Navi join me under the hole and peer up.

"I think I can fit through the hole," Navi says. 

Goddesses, I think she's right. 

"Try it," I say. "And see where we are." Navi flies up into the light and a minute later, I can't see her. "Do you think she'll come back?" I ask Sheik.

She nods. "I don't see why she wouldn't." 

Sure enough, Navi returns moments later, shaking her head.

"I don't know where we are," she reports. "Sorry, Link." 

"It's all right," I say, letting her perch on my shoulder. "Well, I don't see a way out, so we might as well get going." Sheik nods, and we set off again. 

************************

The figure in the chair sat up straight. She began to fidget nervously, drawing attention from the other two occupants in the room. Jeak backed away from her, unaccustomed to his new mistress's behavior. 

Dark Link frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked, watching her.

"He's coming closer," the figure said. "The Hero of Time. . . . " She closed her eyes, probing, reaching. 

"Do you think she knows what she's doing?" Jeak asked, coming closer to Dark Link. 

"I hope so," he said. 

************************

"Stairs," I state. In the dim circle of light that Sheik's created with another fireball, I see stairs leading upward into the dark. I turn to my companions. Navi's hovering in the air a few inches away from me, and Sheik leans against the wall, looking positively worn-out. "You okay?" I ask.

She nods. "I think so," she says, suddenly reverting back to Zelda. She closes her eyes and slides down the wall, utterly exhausted. 

"Sorry we couldn't find any more wood," I offer. Navi flies to her side, concerned, but she shakes her head. 

"I should have kept the wood we had, instead of lighting it like that," she says weakly. The fireball must have worn her out more than I thought. 

Well, she _does _have a point. 

"Let's climb these stairs, and then you can rest for a while," I say. I wince-I still need to save Skye and Kenya, but waiting just a little bit won't hurt them _that _much, right?

I hope I'm right. 

"All right," Zelda says, stumbling to her feet, the fireball flickering on and off, throwing the tunnel into darkness and bringing it back. I sigh. After the lighted chamber, we had a while before the light from the chamber ran out, and then we were back to fireballs for as long as an hour. Other than that, I don't want to think about how long we've been down here. I move toward the stairs, and the dagger Sheik gave me bounces against my thigh, tucked into the belt around my waist. 

Then I hear it. 

The same rumbling noise that proceeded the Iron Knuckle's entrance before. 

"Navi, Zelda," I choke out, backing away from the stairs and groping behind me in hopes to find my companions. "I think we might have company. . . . " Navi stays perfectly still, listening. "Well?"

"I think you're right, Link," she says as Zelda listens. Her eyes are tired, but she changes into Sheik and faces the direction the sounds are coming from. "Hang on . . . " Navi says. "I don't think that you should fight it."

"I'll be fine," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. 

"No," I say, stepping forward. "Zelda, take a rest. I'm going to fight this thing." 

Goddesses, what am I _saying? _

"Link," Sheik says. "I don't think that you-" The Iron Knuckle comes into sight, carrying one axe on its back and another in it's hands. One of them has to be the axe of its fallen comrade. I pull out the little dagger and fall into a traditional fighting stance. I hear Sheik redouble her efforts to keep the fire going. 

"All right, Link," Navi says, flying above me. "Just dodge the axe swings and hit it with the dagger whenever you can." She eeps slightly as I rush in, rolling under a horizontal swing and come up hard with the dagger. The weapon lodges itself firmly in the armor as the Iron Knuckle howls in pain

"You'd think the armor was a part of him," I mutter.

"It is," Navi says. I wrap my hands about the handle of the dagger and pull, trying to remove it from the thick armor. "Look out!" I look up just in time to see an iron hand grab me and hurl me away from it, just barely in range for a vertical swing, which it prepares to deliver. The impact of the ground knocked the wind out of me, and I can't recover enough to dodge. Sheik screams my name, and I close my eyes, wondering how it can be over this soon. 

Instead of feeling pain, I hear something that sounds like a rubber ball bouncing off a mat repeatedly. I hurriedly open my eyes and see Navi hurling herself at the Iron Knuckle, that's dropped the axe in favor of grabbing at Navi. I want to go for the axe and deliver a killing blow, but I know that I would never be able to lift something that big and wield it effectively. 

"The dagger!" Sheik yells. I nod, even though she probably can't see it, and get to my feet, praying that the Iron Knuckle doesn't want to play baseball with Navi as the ball. I get close, ducking under the wild grabs, and lunge for the dagger. I give an extra-hard yank, and the weapon comes free while the Iron Knuckle roars in pain. Before it can turn its attention to me, Navi resumes hitting it. It growls, a low metallic sound echoing from the bottom of its throat, and grabs at her again. I slip around behind it, all the while praying to the goddesses for myself and Navi. 

"Okay," I mutter, holding up the dagger. "Now where do I stick this?"

Ah-hah!

There's a weak point in the armor where the helmet begins, and I see something that resembles flesh exposed. Swallowing hard, I lift the dagger and drive it into the back of the Iron Knuckle's neck. I hear it enter the flesh and wince-I never liked the sound. The Iron Knuckle falls forward, dead and I swallow hard again, the adrenalin rush that must have fueled me during the fight wearing off. 

"That was . . . different," I say finally, turning to my friends. Sheik's breathing just about as hard as I am, and Navi's crawled up under my hat, announcing that she's going to take a nap. I shrug-it doesn't feel that strange to me. 

"There could be more," Sheik says, looking around nervously. "Let's go." She motions towards the staircase and begins to climb it. I retrieve the dagger from the dead Iron Knuckle and follow. 

We climb for about an hour before some sort of light begins to shine into the tunnel. Sheik lets the fireball go out and the stairs are thrown into semi-darkness. She's still breathing hard, but at least she doesn't have to keep the fire going anymore. Navi's snoring quietly under my hat, and we pause for a minute, listening to her. Sheik shrugs and trudges on, me close at her heels. Eventually, we come into a large chamber. 

"Woah, where are we?" I whisper, awed. The place is made of a marble-like stone that could actually be marble for all I know, and it must have been grand when it was new. As of now, the roof has completely caved in, letting sunlight shine onto the odd piles of rock on the floor. The walls still stand, but time has chipped away at them, reducing their height by who-knows-how-much. 

This place is _beautiful._

And eeriely familiar. 

There's a raised platform in the middle of the room we stand in, and I can see another room through a doorway on the far side from us. On the raised platform, there seems to be something sticking out of the ground, almost like a flagpole, but this place feels too sacred, too ancient to have a flagpole randomly sticking out of the ground. I take a step, and dust rises from the floor, surprising me. Because of the exposure to the elements, you'd think there wouldn't be any dust.

It's almost like the goddesses reside here. . . . 

"Where are we?" I ask as Sheik changes back into Zelda. She walks until she's abreast of me, ignoring the dust clouds that rise at her feet. She looks around, almost as if she knows the place but can't quite name it.

"We can't be," she whispers. "There's no way that tunnel could have led us all the way here." She turns to me. "Link, I want to see something-to see if I'm right in my guess of where we are." She takes a step.

"Wait!" I cry, grabbing her shoulder to stop her. She faces me, her eyes full of impatience. "Something . . . something powerful resides here. I can feel it. And I don't want to disturb it."

"We won't," Zelda says. "Trust me." She begins to walk again, and I follow, keeping one hand on her shoulder-just in case. Eventually we reach the door that I had seen. There's an alter flanked by two sets of stairs in front of us. We walk around the alter, to the front of it, where I can see some writing inscribed underneath all the dust. "Look-there's writing," I say, using my hand to dust off the words. I pause when they're uncovered. They're in an old form of writing.

That I can't read. 

Dang it. 

"What's it say?" I ask. Zelda leans in close, reading it to herself. Navi, awakened by my earlier cry, peers out from under my hat. She frowns as she reads the words. 

"It says, 'The Ocarina of Time opened the door. The Hero of Time, with the Master Sword, descended here,'" she reads. She turns to me, eyes wide. "Link, we're in the Temple of Time." 


	9. Chapter nine

Sorry this chapter took so long! I spent all week downloading Zelda no Densetsu-the manga for the Legend of Zelda series. Actually, I think there might be a couple of references in here to that, so if something confuses you, just stick to it and know that it's from the manga. 

Er, guys, listen. This story has gotten really weird on me, and it's difficult to write. If no one's gonna read it, I won't write it. So, what I'm saying is, _please _review. I need the support. 

JUST BECAUSE I SAID NO QUESTIONS DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T REVIEW FOR ME!

Grrr, anyway, here's the next chapter.

.

Zelda turns to me, eyes wide. "Link," she says. "We're in the Temple of Time." 

"The . . . what?" I ask, facing her. Navi lets out something between a disgusted and a happy squeal. "Navi, what the goddesses is she talking about?"

"I keep forgetting," Zelda sighs. "You don't know. It doesn't help that you have those clothes on." She motions to the now-dirty tunic that I _still _haven't changed out of since the Halloween party. "The Temple of Time-the entrance to the sacred realm, door of time, the Master Sword." She sighs and shakes her head. "Maybe it would be easier if I _did _revive your memories." 

"I don't care," I say, shrugging. We stand silent, with nothing to say that stretches a silence between us. "So . . . you mentioned something about the Temple of Time earlier. We're here, now. What should we do next?" 

Zelda sighs."The Temple of Time is the resting place of the Master Sword," she says. "That's what we came here for. Navi, do you think it's still here?" Navi nods.

"I saw it earlier," she says. "When we came in." She motions to the large chamber that we just came out of. 

Was _that _what the flagpole-like thing was?

"So . . . I guess I finally get to wield a real sword," I say. Zelda nods, and turns to walk back into the big chamber that we came out of. I pause, unsure, and she motions to me to follow. I do so, but I keep a good distance behind her. 

For some reason, I feel really nervous about this.

"Hurry up, Link," Navi complains as she and Zelda come to a stop in front of the raised platform. Zelda turns to me. I stop, suddenly very unsure about this whole thing. 

The Master Sword. 

I don't know if I can take it. 

Only a true hero can remove it from the Pedestal of Time, or so Zelda's told me. 

I'm no hero-I'm a stupid kid from down the block who is only a brown belt in karate. Not even a black belt, a brown. I go to school, I get in fights, and barely manage to turn my homework in on time. I piss of my parents-I'm just a normal teenager, not the reincarnation of some ancient hero. And they want me to save the freaking world, all of them. Why? Isn't it obvious that I _can't_? I'm just a normal teenager! 

"I can't," I say. I feel Navi and Zelda's eyes on me. "I can't take it. This isn't-you've got the wrong guy, Zelda. I'm no hero, just a teenage boy from a modern world." 

"Link," Zelda says, approaching me. "You don't believe what you've seen?" She puts a hand on my shoulder. 

"I believe," I say. "I just think you've got the wrong guy." 

"Link, don't be stupid," Navi says. "Of course you're-"

"_I'm not stupid!_" I yell. "You're the ones who are stupid! You think you can just drag me out here with no clue what I'm doing to tell me I gotta take up this old sword that's probably going to break when I swing it and save the world! I can't do that-I _just can't._" I bow my head, lowering my eyes to the ground. There's complete silence while Navi and Zelda think, their eyes boring into my head. I can't take it anymore.

I turn, and run. 

"Link!" Zelda and Navi shriek as one, but I ignore them. They can't expect me to do this, they can't. I stumble out of the Temple of Time and nearly fall down a flight of stairs and break my neck minutes later. I don't look up until I'm in the ruins of an old town. Stone foundations are the only things left of the buildings-everything else has been wiped away by time. I stagger and fall, draping my arms about the ruins of an old fountain. I take the time to look around-this was probably a grand city market in its day. Was this what the legendary Hero of Time saved? I look around-a lot of good it did, from what I see. 

"It's so stupid!" I say, burying my face in my arms. "This isn't me-I couldn't have-I can't do this. Navi and Zelda should go back to their little sacred realm and find the real Hero of Time, not count on me." I probably can't even pull the Master Sword from its pedestal. There's silence, and I'm surprised that Navi and Zelda haven't come after me. I get up and look at the stupid tunic. It probably started all of this. I pull at its hem. Stupid tunic. I hate the tunic. If I had a spare change of clothes I'd-

"Link?" A questioning female voice assaults my ears, and I pause. I let the voice ring in my ears a few moments, and then I know who the voice belongs to. 

"_Skye?_" I ask, and turn. She's standing there, head tilted slightly, looking at me. "Oh, goddesses, it's you. How'd you end up here? Your dad was so worried, everybody's been worried, it's you, it's you, it's you, it's yo-Skye, what in Nayru's name are you wearing?" 

"This?" Skye asks lightly, plucking at the fabric of the long black and red dress she's wearing. "I . . . found it." I frown and cross my arms. She smiles again, but something's off. 

"Tell me the truth," I say. "What happened? Who gave you the dress? Why haven't you at least tried to contact me?" She frowns. 

"I don't remember what happened," she says. "All I knew was that I needed to find you."

"Skye, you're creeping me out now."

". . . So that I can kill you." 

"SAY WHAT?!?!?!?!" I jump backwards as Skye pulls a dagger out from the folds of the dress and swings it at me. I land and fall over my own feet. She walks toward me, brandishing the dagger, an evil glint in her eyes. I scramble backwards as the stabs it into the stone where I just was. "You're not Skye. Who are you?" My hand closes about a rock behind me as the creature in Skye's body advances on me. 

"I am the closest thing to Skye you'll ever see in the remainder of your life," she hisses, bringing the dagger high up over her head. As she goes to plunge it down into my body, I throw the rock that I picked up. It hits Skye in the forehead, and she hisses, backing away from me. I stumble to my feet and run-hoping to lose her before I turn around and go to the Temple of Time. A dagger embeds itself in the stone a few inches from my feet. 

"She has throwing blades?" I yelp as another one misses me by centimeters. I pick up speed, praying that Skye's aim hasn't improved any since she lost the barrel-shooting contest last year. Just when I think I can't run anymore, I hear Skye screech.   
"What the hell is this thing?" I turn to look at Skye, who has her hands up-defending against Navi. The fairy is currently hurling herself at Skye for a distraction-giving me time to run away. I take a step, ready to run to them, even though I'm unsure what I would do when I got there. A hand grabs my shoulder and I yelp. 

"Hush," Zelda says, her eyes darting to Skye. She looks like she wants to ask me something, but doesn't think it's a good idea. 

So she does it anyway.

"That's Skye?" Zelda asks. I nod. 

"Why is she attacking me?" I ask. Zelda shakes her head and guides me back to the Temple of Time. We wait there for long minutes before Navi joins us, looking throughly worn-out. That doesn't bother me, though. I immediately get to my feet and bug her. "Navi, what in Naryu's name is wrong with Skye? Why did she-?"

"I don't know," Navi says. "She acts as she usually does, save the fact that she's trying to kill you." I growl. "Link, do you think she's gone over to Ganondorf?"

"That's the only possible reason she's acting like this," I say. "But . . . she doesn't seem like she'd try and help some half-dead madman take over Hyrule! She'd have to be brainwashed!!"

"Impossible," Zelda says. "If she were brainwashed, there would have been a jewel."

"A jewel?"

"Twinrova's mark," Zelda says. "When they brainwash someone for Ganondorf, there is a jewel somewhere visible on their body. That jewel is also how you break the brainwash."

"Really," I say. "And Twinrova is. . . ?"

"The two witches who raised Ganondorf," Navi says. "They work-or worked-for him, but you-the past you-killed them. I don't see how they'd be back." 

I don't listen as Navi and Zelda launch into a possible debate about how exactly Ganondorf plans to attack this time. 

Who really cares?

He's got Skye. 

That's all he needs to beat me. 

_". . . how you break the brainwash . . . " _I blink, remembering Zelda's words. 

Break the brainwash?

But she isn't. . .

I don't care. 

I'll get Skye back, no matter what it takes.

"I'll do it," I say, getting to my feet.

"Huh?" Navi says, watching me walk to the back of the temple. I see the Master Sword, still covered with dust. Walking up to it, I glare at it, challenging it to resist me. After a few moments, I blow the dust off, carefully waving it away from my face. 

"Link?" Zelda comes into the room, followed by Navi. I turn to them. To her.

"I'll do it, if only for Skye," I say. I turn and grasp the hilt of the Master Sword. I yank it up, and hear a scratchy sound as the blade breaks free of the stone. I stumble backwards, holding onto it. There's silence, as if we are waiting for something. Nothing happens. 

Well, that's oddly anti-climatic. 

"Well," I say, turning to Navi and Zelda. "Who's got a scabbard for this thing?" Both Navi and Zelda shake their heads. 

Well, I guess I'll just have to-

The fake sword!

"Never mind, I've got something," I say, fishing the fake plastic sword off my back. I take it out of the scabbard and insert the Master Sword. It fits, but barely. I wish I had a rope of some kind-I could at least hang the Master Sword from it. "Ready, guys?" Zelda and Navi smile, and then nod. "Okay, where can we find this Ganondorf bastard and get Skye back?" 

"Technically, Ganondorf himself is still in the Realm of Evil," Zelda says. "But his servants-Skye, as well-are somewhere in this world." Navi nods her agreement. "Link, I think I know the most likely place. Do you want me to show it to you?" I nod, and she begins walking out of the temple. I follow, my sword bouncing against my back and my fairy hovering over my head. 

Zelda leads us to a black castle that, unlike the rest of the market, is in one piece. 

"How in the-?" I ask, motioning madly to the castle with my hands. 

Zelda's eyes harden. "I suspect that this is new-his servants probably built it recently, hoping to scare people. They also probably overlooked the fact that Hyrule Castle Town is deserted."

"Castle Town?"

"Where you were attacked by Skye," Zelda says. I fall silent. Zelda turns to me. "Are you ready, Link?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," I say. She nods, and leads the way into the castle. 

"There wasn't a bridge here last time Ganondorf took over," Zelda says as we walk across the stone bridge. I nod, but it's not really that interesting to me. All I want to do is save Skye. Then I'm going to leave and never come back, and forget that this ever happened. When we enter the castle, I am amazed. The whole place seems to be made out of black stone that makes you feel about one inch tall. Zelda stops suddenly. "They're here."

"Who's here?"

"Ganondorf's underlings," Zelda says. My hand flies to the sword on my back, and curls about the hilt, ready to draw it if needed. Zelda takes a few more steps with me close at her heels. I growl at the walls, daring something to leap out at-

"Get down!" Navi shrieks. I throw one arm around Zelda's shoulders, dragging her with me to the ground as I drop. Something flies over us, cackling madly. After I know it has passed, I jump to my feet and draw my sword in one fluid motion, ready and looking for the thing. The hall we've been walking down is completely empty, and I frown. 

"Where is it?" I ask Navi. 

"It flew by already," Navi says. "It was a Poe."

"Those damned ghost things?" I ask, amazed. "Like in the stories about old Hyrule?" Navi nods as I lend a hand to help Zelda get to her feet. "Wow." Zelda brushes off her dress and begins walking again, a signal that we should continue.

We do.

We walk down the long hallway for what feels like hours. I begin to wonder if my parents are at all worried about where I am. My feet hurt inside the large brown boots that I wear and I feel sweat soaking through the fabric of my tunic. Zelda stays in front of me; Navi is hovering above my head. The Master Sword is has been slapping against my back for a while now, and I think that it's going to leave a bruise. Every once in a while a Poe will come flying over us, but other than that, nothing's happened. 

Something tells me its not supposed to be like this. 

Zelda pauses, frowning. "This place is different," she says. "It used to have on central room, a tower, with six chambers leading away from it." 

That's obviously not how it is now. 

"At least we know we're going the right way," I offer. There was only one hall-no doors, nothing. "Unless, of course, there's some sort of secret passage that we don't know about."

"There's no secret passage, Link." 

"Skye?" I whirl, trying to find the source of my friend's voice. "Where are you?" She laughs, but the laugh is different from when I last heard it. More . . . evil. I blink in frustration as I realize the voice is coming from the walls. 

"She's using a spell," Zelda tells me, and I calm down a bit.

"Ah, clever princess," Skye's voice taunts. "Have you anything else to share?" 

"Shut up!" I yell, knowing she'll hear me. She did before. "Skye, I don't know what the goddesses has happened to you, but Zelda, Navi and I are here to save you!" 

"Navi? The ferret?"

"Nice going, Link," Navi whispers. "This would have been so much easier if I didn't have to explain the fairy thing to everyone." 

"We're here, and we're going to help you," I say. The voice laughs, and I bolt down the hall, Navi and Zelda at my heels. I keep running, ignoring the voice's laughs and Zelda's cried for me to slow down. I finally stop in a chamber that resembles a throne room. A figure is seated in the shadows of the room. I draw my sword and take a few steps. "Skye, that's you, isn't it?" 

She steps out of the shadows. "Hello, my friend," she says, but the words ring false. 

"Why are you doing this?" I demand. 

"Link," she says. "The Skye you knew is no longer-I am the only thing left of her. I am every angry thought, every fight, every insult you said to her. I am the part of Skye that hates you." 

"She doesn't hate me," I say. 

"She does," Skye says. "I do." 

"No!" I cry as Skye pulls a dagger from her waistband and flings it at me. I dodge it with ease and run to intercept the blows she throws at me. She brings out a sword, finally, and the metal clangs as we parry death blow after death blow. I fall to the ground and roll away from a vertical swing that could cut me in two. She misses a parry but dances away from the metal of the Master Sword. Just when I think that I can't take anymore, I hear Navi and Zelda arrive. 

Why do they need to follow me?

Navi takes action, flying in front of Skye's face to distract her. Forgetting about the sword, I drop and swing my legs in a circle, bringing Skye's out from under her. She falls, the sword clanging to the ground and flying off into the shadows. She gropes for the sword as I gather myself. I grip the hilt of the Master Sword tightly, bringing it up. I hold it over my head, ready to bring it down on Skye for a finishing blow. 

I can't. 

She turns her head to me, and her eyes are empty. 

This isn't Skye. 

But I still can't kill her. 

"I can't!" I cry to Navi, who has retreated behind me, to Zelda, who is still standing in the doorway, waiting. The silence from them is unbearable, telling me I must do what I can't gather the courage to. The sword falls from my grasp and clanks to the stone floor. "I can't."

And I fall to my knees. 

She's more than a friend. 

She's a sister, a partner. 

"Wake up, Skye!" I cry, unable to stare into her empty eyes any longer. My hands curl into fists. "Please, wake up."

A tear falls down my cheek. 

I'm crying over Skye. 


	10. Chapter 10

Okay. Here's chapter ten, finally. I wrote this through a writer's block, so it might not be that good. But it does answer some questions (or at least I _think _it does.) I apologize for waiting so long between chapters. But anyway. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda. 

I feel I must express _again _my reason for keeping Sheik Zelda. I thought it best, especially in this sort of story, to keep as true to the game as I could. So don't yell at me, k?

I don't know what kind of fics everybody likes, but if you have some time, it would be nice if you would read "Defiance," by Whyette_h. I'm editing it for him, and someone just dissed me and him, so we need all the positive support we can get. 

Okay, one more thing. 

IF YOU DON'T REVIEW, I SWEAR I WILL DISCONTINUE THIS STORY!!!!!!!!!!! 

-Nagem

I don't look at the creature Skye has become as the tears streak down my face. If the real Skye could see me now, she'd scold me for being a baby. She'd tell me to get up and kick the imposter's ass. 

But what would she say if I told her I couldn't?

I don't know. 

I've never said something like that to her. 

_And I'm not about to start now, _I think. I get to my feet. The Skye-thing looks up at me as I grab the Master Sword. _I can't kill her, but I can-_

WHAM

"She's gonna feel that one in the morning," I hear Navi says behind me. Skye's body falls limp on the ground in front of me, unmoving. I feel sick, and I don't want to check for a pulse. I just have to tell myself that I just knocked her out, nothing more. "Great job! Not exactly what I was hoping for, but great job!" I feel Navi's tiny hand on my shoulder through the fabric of my tunic. I am only dimly aware that Zelda has not moved from her spot in the doorway. 

"What were you hoping for?" I mumble, finally understanding Navi's words. 

"Well, I was hoping that you would kill the enemy," Navi says. "But she's out of the way long enough for us to get out of here." I nod as Navi frowns. "I'm expecting that you'll have to fight her again."

"No," I say. "I fought her once, and I'm not doing it again. Not when it can kill her." 

"It can always kill her," Zelda says, finally stepping forward. "Every time you fight, be it wooden or metal weapons, there's always a danger." I blink. She's right. She's been right all along. I _am _a hero. I _can _save Hyrule from this half-dead, crazed madman that calls himself Ganondorf.

And I've been just too stupid to know it. 

"Let's go," I say, gripping the hilt of the Master Sword tightly. I meet Zelda's eyes, and she smiles. 

"Thank you, so much," she whispers, wrapping me in a quick hug. "Come, I believe that your parents in Kakariko must be worried about you." I nod, and follow her out of the room where Skye's body still is. 

Something in the air seems lighter as we step outside. I wonder if "defeating" the evil Skye made the air clear up, or if I just feel better about this whole thing. Either way, it doesn't matter to me. I am aware that I still grip the hilt of the Master Sword tightly as we step into the ruins of the market. I stare at it for a moment before setting it back in its makeshift scabbard. 

"Well," I say, not looking forward to the trip back to Kakariko. "I guess we'd better get going then." I start toward the Temple of Time, but stop as Zelda grabs my shoulder. "What?"

"I know a better way," she says. "Kakariko isn't too far from Hyrule Castle Town, and if it's grown as much as Navi informs me it has, then it should be an even shorter walk." When I stare at her blankly, she explains. "That tunnel, as I remember now, was an old Sheikah passage. It takes the long way around." I nod, understanding. 

"There might be monsters," Navi says. "There were before. Stalchildren in the nights and Peahats in during the day." 

"I can handle them," I say, unsure of where this burst of confidence came from. I motion to the sword on my back. "As long as I've got a real blade, then it'll be fine." Zelda opens her mouth slightly, but closes it, smiling. "Lead the way." She turns away from me and begins to lead us away from Ganon's castle, away from Skye. 

I wonder if I'll ever see her again. 

_*****************Skye's Adventure***************_

Skye was aware of a soft voice calling to her. She got to her feet and touched the brick walls of her prison lightly, wondering. The voice called again, and Skye could make out the words. It was her own name. She wanted to shout, but her mouth was dry and parched. She pounded on the walls. Bricks ground against each other, but didn't give way. Skye mentally cursed herself and began to beat harder. If this was her own mind, if what Dark Link said was true, then she should have control here. She had control of her own thoughts, right? 

_"Skye, wake up! Please, wake up!" _

_I am awake, _Skye thought, pounding harder on the brick walls. _I am awake! See here! _She bit her lip in frustration. She had only a few moments before a sudden, invisible blow to the head left her in the dark. 

***

She came to slowly, groaning and holding her pounding head. As she blinked to clear away the pain, she realized something-she wasn't in her brick prison anymore. Skye's mouth opened slightly in amazement as she stood. 

_But how-? _she wondered. 

"Mistress?" A familiar voice asked. Skye whirled around to face Dark Link, who was bowing to her. "I have been looking for the Hero of Time, but I have not had any luck. Do you wish me to try and talk to your lighter side?"

_Lighter side? _Skye wondered, trying not to let herself frown. _Oh! He must mean _me_! _She shook her head. "No, I think she needs more time to reconsider her previous lies." 

Dark Link looked confused, but nodded. "Yes ma'am." 

"Leave me," Skye told him, wanting time to be herself and try to figure the whole situation out. 

"Yes, ma'am," Dark Link said. He left, and Skye collapsed onto the throne-like thing in the room. 

_Who the goddesses is the Hero of Time? _She wondered. _And why would they want to look for him? Why did they trap me within my own mind? And-what in Nayru's name am I wearing? _ She looked down at her current attire, appalled at the black and red fabric of the dress. Skye noticed it was rather tight, hugging her body uncomfortably. She frowned at it, tugging gently on one sleeve as she thought. _Well, one thing's clear: I gotta get outta here. To do that, I gotta get out of this dress. _She felt along her back for the zipper, and tugged on the tab.

"Mistress?" a creature peered his head in. He saw what she was doing. "Why are you taking that off?" 

"I was thinking that I could trick the Hero of Time to think I am an innocent girl," Skye said, mouth dry, hoping that this creature would believe her. "And to do that, I need to get out of this dress."

"Yes, yes, those things are tricky," the creature said. He came over an unzipped the back. Skye felt a wave of panic wash over-was she wearing something underneath the dress?-but the creature hissed. "I am sorry, Mistress. We left the clothes your lighter side wore on when we put the dress on. We didn't want you to think we had violated you."

"That is fine," Skye said, relieved to stand up and watch the dress fall about her ankles and not be naked in front of this creature. She resisted the urge to run her hand along the fabric of her ninja outfit from Halloween-however long ago that was. "Now, go. I need to execute the first step of my plan. And tell . . . Dark Link of this." If the creature noticed her hesitation before she said "Dark Link," he said nothing of it. 

Instead, "Will Mistress be keeping the Triforce stone?" 

_Tri-what stone? _Skye thought. But if she was to keep up the act, she'd have to act like she knew what she was talking about. "Yes, yes, I will." She noticed a thin chain in the folds of the dress she had taken off. She bent down and picked it up. It was beautiful, a clear crystal with blue veins running through it. Skye resisted the urge to gasp at its beauty-she had to have seen it before if she was this darker half of her that these creatures served. 

"Jeak! Mistress!" Dark Link came sprinting into the room, and the creature, dubbed Jeak, turned to look at him. Dark Link took in Skye's clothing, but chose not to comment on it. "The Hero of Time has Princess Zelda and the fairy at his side, a Triforce stone in his pocket, and is heading back to Kakariko to search for the others!" 

"T-that's impossible!" Jeak stuttered, looking from Dark Link to Skye. "The Princess. . . . "

"I know!" Dark Link whirled in circles, an exact impression of the real Link when he was nervous, Skye noted. She began to wonder just how much of a connection this Dark Link had with the Link she knew. "Mistress? Why are you back in those clothes?" 

"I am planning to convince the Hero of Time that I am an innocent little girl, and steal the Triforce stones from him," Skye said. 

"There's only one more _Triforce _stone," Jeak said. "Master Ganon holds that one. The rest are sage stones." 

"Oh, I forgot!" Skye said, giggling girlishly. "How silly of me! I should get going then, find all the stones for Master Ganon!!" As she said the words, she felt an inexplicable hatred for this man, Ganon, wash over her. She shook her head, wondering why she felt this way-she had never even met this "Master Ganon" before. She smiled at Jeak and Dark Link and skipped out of the room, feeling faint. 

"Is she all right?" Jeak asked Dark Link. 

"I don't know," Dark Link said, staring at where Skye had skipped out of the room. 

**********************_End Skye's Adventure***********************_

The thing dies, vanishing into blue flames. 

"Hah!" I say, turning and holding the Master Sword proudly in my hands. "I can do it!" Zelda smiles and nods, while Navi shakes her head as I start to do a victory dance. "Hey hey I can do _it_! Hey hey I can do _it! _La ti da ti da!" Navi can't help it-she bursts out laughing, and Zelda continues to smile and nod. "La ti daaaaaaaaa!!!" I sing proudly, then flop down on the grass. "Whee. I'm tired now." 

"You are so stupid sometimes," Navi gasps between peals of laughter. "Goddesses, I haven't laughed like this in ages." 

Zelda smiles one more time before turning to Navi. "Hey, Navi, can I talk to you?" The fairy nods and heads over. 

I hear their voices, dim muffled sounds in my brain, but I don't want to hear the words.

I've been fighting for hours, acting hyper even when I defeat a monster that I'd killed five times before. 

I just want to get my mind off Skye. 

I don't know why she suddenly turned on me. It makes no sense, really. I did nothing to her before the Halloween party that would have made her have _this _much of a grudge against me. It depresses me to think about it. I wonder where Skye is right now, safe, floating somewhere nice. . . . Without any monsters that hold you up for hours on end. 

As if on cue, I hear a scream, followed by a familiar shriek of, "Get away from me!" I sit up, looking for the source of the noise. I've heard that shriek before, when some bastard was feeling up Skye in the dojo once. She kicked him hard in a place I would not want any guy to be kicked. 

"What the-?" Navi yelps, and Zelda follows her lead, but I don't care. I'm already running in the direction I heard the scream come from. It doesn't take me long to come upon Skye, who's being attacked by Stalchildren. I notice that she no longer wears the dress, but her ninja outfit from Halloween as she kicks one of the monsters surrounding her. As I get closer, I draw my Master Sword, not because I'm going to fight Skye-if she were still Ganondorf's minions, I don't think those things would be attacking her-but because I want to chase of the things. With a few well-placed slashes of my sword, the Stalchildren die, enveloped by blue flames. I sheath the Master Sword and turn to Skye as she falls into me.

"Link!" she cries. "Oh, goddesses, oh goddesses, it was _so _strange! What happened to you? Where were you?"

"That's what I was about to ask you," I say. "Last time I saw you, you were trying to kill me." 

"Oh, goddesses," she whispers. "Why?" 

"Long story," I say. 

"Tell me," she says. 

"I will, then you have to tell me what happened to you," I say, still unaware that I am holding her close, arms wrapped around her as if I'm protecting her from the world around us. She squirms, uncomfortable, and I blush, letting go of her. "Sorry," I say. "Anyway, from when I last saw you, this is what happened. . . . "

I tell her everything, excluding the part about Navi being a fairy, the disembodied Princess Zelda, and how I cried for her. I don't think she'd believe me if I did. When I finish, she gapes at me, and I shrug. 

"You're telling me that you just wandered out here just _happening _to have a sword that I've never seen before in your hands," she says. I gulp, thinking that making her believe what I told her might be harder than I originally thought. 

"Your turn," I say, changing the subject. "Let me see if your story's anymore believable than mine." 

"You're the only one who I think would believe it, anyway," she says, laughing a laugh that's only really half laughter. I wonder about that for a moment until she launches into the story. 

By the time she's done, I'm sure she's left some things out, but my mouth is still hanging open from just what she told me. "You're kidding!" I cry. When she shakes her head, I begin pacing. "There's some weird shadow guy who calls himself Dark Link and serves Ganondorf?" 

"They called him 'Master Ganon,'" Skye says. "And they trapped me within my own mind, and let that girl who tried to kill you out." 

"It's all crazy!" I say. "The stories in general are all crazy! And what's more crazy is how they fit perfectly!" I'm referring to, of course, the fact that she heard me screaming "wake up". Skye's eyes go wide. "What?" 

"Who's that?" Skye asks, pointing up the hill to where Zelda is standing with Navi, looking down on us. 

Oh, dear. 


	11. Chapter eleven

Hah!! Four pages in less than a week! I'm gettin' good here, people. 

Wow. . . . didn't think that threatening to discontinue this would get such results. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU STOP REVIEWING!!! 

For those of you who did or didn't review, here's the next chapter. I'm finally getting somewhere with this thing. 

"Who's that?" Skye asks, pointing up the hill to where Zelda is standing with Navi, looking down on us. 

Oh, dear. 

This is not good. 

"I can explain," I offer weakly, but I don't think Skye hears me. She's already striding up to Navi and Zelda. I follow, but at a much slower pace. "Skye, hang on! They're my friends! They helped me find you! Hey, are you listening to me?" 

"Who are you, girl?" Skye asks, jabbing a finger at Zelda, who backs away. Her eyes rivet and land on Navi. "And what's with the little glowing bubble with wings?" Navi turns a bright red, which I guess is how she shows anger. 

"My name is Zelda," Zelda says slowly, pushing Navi out of the way before the fairy can say anything. "I was with Link when everything happened to you." Skye's eyes land on me as she turns around. 

Oh, why did Zelda pull me into this? 

"Okay," I say, finally reaching them. "I can explain. Skye, there are a few things that I . . . neglected to tell you before."

"And those are?" Skye demands, glaring at me. 

Sweet, sweet Nayru, I forgot how scary Skye is when she's angry. 

I tell her in one long, run-on sentence. I finish with, "And that's what _really _happened. Honest." I look down, waiting for Skye's answer as if she's my mother or something. I feel her eyes move from me to Zelda and Navi.

"Now that's interesting," she says. I look up and see her smiling at Navi. "The little ferret was really a fairy, you're really the reincarnation of some hero, and some girl in the world is a reincarnation of this Zelda girl." I nod. She frowns. "I heard something about someone called 'The Hero of Time.'"

"That's Link," Zelda says, motioning to me.

Skye nods. "Then it _was_ you that they were after," she says. "So . . . Zelda. Have you ever heard of 'Dark Link'?" Zelda nods, confused. "Well, this guy, whoever he is, is back. He's the one who kidnapped me." 

"What intrigues me," Zelda says. "Is why exactly they were after _you._"

"Probably to have some sort of a weapon against me," I say. "If Dark Link really does know as much about me as he says he does, then he should know that I don't want to hurt my friends." The three females in front of me nod in agreement. 

"Well," Skye says. "What does Link have to do to get rid of this Ganondorf guy?" 

"He has to collect the Scared Nine Stones," Navi says. "Three representing the Triforce-the Triforce Stones, and the six representing the six sages-the Sage Stones." Navi looks over at Zelda to make sure she's correct, and the disembodied princess nods. Skye looks unsure for a moment, and then nods as well. 

"I say we get going," I say. "Who knows how many of these stones Ganondorf's minions have collected."

"Ganondorf has at least one," Navi says. "Because he holds the Triforce of Power."

"And we have none," Skye says flatly. 

"No," Zelda says. "Because he's the reincarnation of the Hero of Time, Link has one." Skye looks over at me and I hold up the green jewel. "See?" Skye nods, and she seems to be trying to keep from frowning. 

"So," I say. "Why don't we get back to Kakariko, rest up and report that Skye is safe, then start looking for the current Zelda." Everyone stares at me. "What?" They shake their heads, and Zelda begins to lead us back to Kakariko.

**In Kakariko**

Our first stop is Skye's house, to tell Sensei and anyone else who cares that she's safe. As we approach the house, Sensei, who must have seen us from the window, comes running out and picks Skye up in a huge hug before demanding to know where she's been. As Skye tries to make up an excuse, I look over and smile at Zelda, who's disguised by magic, although I can see right through it. I hear Navi giggling from under my hat as Skye is marched over to us, held tightly in her father's arms. 

"And who are your little friends here?" Sensei asks. I open my mouth to protest, but not before Sensei laughs again. "Oh, I know Link, but who's this pretty young lady?" He motions to Zelda, who looks at me, unsure how to respond. I simply nod, hoping that she goes with the flow. 

"This is Zelda," Skye says, walking over and clapping the princess on the shoulder. "She moved here recently, and helped Link find me." 

I nod. "Yeah," I lie. "Zelda was a big help. She'd want to go places that I never would have gone-turns out Skye was in one of those places." I grin, playing the innocent little helper boy-when I know it couldn't be further from the truth. 

"Thank you, miss Zelda," Sensei says, grabbing the girl in a bear hug. When he pulls away from her, Zelda looks so shocked that I cover my mouth to keep from bursting out laughing, and Navi's shaking under my hat, which I have to take as stifled laughter. Skye waves goodbye as her dad pulls her into the house, and I turn to Zelda. 

"Come on," I say. "You can spend the night at my place, and then we'll set out again tomorrow morning." 

"Sounds good," Zelda says, and Navi sends her muffled approval from under my hat. 

As soon as I walk in the door, mother and dad demand to know where I've been all day. Don't I know that they worry about me? Don't I know that it's nearly eight-o-clock? Don't I know that they were about to call the police. 

Usually, I'd be more worried about this sort of stuff. 

But how can I be when I know someone's trying to destroy my home?

"Sorry," I say. "But Zelda and I were trying to find Skye." I motion to the girl behind me. By the looks on their faces, what Zelda told me is true-they believe her to be nothing more than a normal girl. 

"Did you find her?" Dad asks roughly. 

"Yeah, we did," I say. "Thanks to Zelda." I turn and smile at her-it's the truth after all. If Zelda hadn't taken me down that strange tunnel thing, then we never would have gone to the market, or ran into Skye. Zelda smiles back briefly, and I turn to my parents. "I was wondering if Zelda could spend the night-her parents are still getting their house around." 

"Did she just move in?" Mother asks. "The poor dear didn't tell us that." 

"She didn't?" I ask, turning to face Zelda. Her face is calm, but she's panicking. "Maybe she felt awkward admitting that." I wink, and she lets out a barely audible sigh of relief. 

"Of course she can stay!" Mother says, sweeping up Zelda in a hug. For the second time in perhaps ten minutes, Zelda looks completely shocked at what I always thought was a normal display of affection. I fight down a laugh. "Now you just make yourself comfortable, love." 

"A-all right," Zelda says. I motion to her and she follows me up the stairs to my room. Once there, I take off my tunic hat to let Navi out and burst out laughing and fall onto my bed. "What?" She places her hands on her hips in an irritated motion.

"It-it's just so funny!" I gasp. "It's like you've never been hugged before!" 

"It's not common to publicize one's affections in the time I remember," Zelda says. "Yes, a hug here and there, but never to someone you didn't even know!" She looks frustrated as she sits down, arms crossing and obviously fuming. 

I sit up and place a hand on her shoulder, which she promptly shrugs off. "Listen, we have memories from different times, different cultures," I say. She looks at me, her blue eyes boring into my own. "What might seem natural for one of us might not be for the other. I'm sure there are things that you don't understand that I've never given a second thought to." 

"That's the most intelligent thing I've heard you say all day," Navi comments from above us.

"Shut up," I say, sticking my tongue out at her. "Come on, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." She bites her lip, and I wrap an arm around her, pulling her into a quick but fierce hug. 

"Thanks," Zelda says. "I know you didn't mean it, because you're just like your past self . . . or selves. I wonder how many times you've been reincarnated." 

"I don't want to think about it," I say.

How many times did I save Hyrule?

How many times was Zelda there by my side, helping me?

It's all too much to think about, and I fall backwards onto my back, falling asleep before I even realize I'm tired. 

_Clunk. _

_ Clunk. _

_ Clunk. _

"What's that?" Zelda's voice asks groggily from where she must have fallen asleep next to me. I groan and roll over, burying my face in the sheets. "Link?" I mumble something, but she doesn't catch it. "What?"

"Whatever it is, tell it to leave me alone," I mumble. I reach out blindly with my arms and grope until I find my pillow, drawing it closer to me and clamping it over my ears. 

_Clunk. _

"Link, it's Skye," Navi's voice chirps from the window. I take the pillow off my head and lift my face from the sheets, blinking madly, trying to get used to the light in the room. "She looks rather pissed." I dash to the window, throw it open, and have enough sense to duck the incoming rock this time. It clacks against the wall and falls to the floor. "Hah! He ducked!" Navi shouts out the window. 

"Hush!" I say, using one hand to shoo her away from the window, the other currently acting as a shield to ward off any more oncoming rocks. "What's up?" I stick my head out of the window and smile down at Skye. 

"We've got work to do!" she calls, not smiling back. "Lemme in!" I notice she has a messenger bag slung across her shoulders. I frown, but don't say anything. 

"Is this how you communicate with her?" Zelda asks as I pull my head back in and close the window. 

"Yep," I say, rushing down to let Skye in. 

"Be quiet, my parents are still asleep," I say, watching Skye dump her shoes at the front door and tiptoe the rest of the way into my room. By the time we get there, Navi's settled on Zelda's shoulder, who's running a hand through her tangled blonde hair disdainfully.

"Here," Skye says, digging through her bag to produce a brush. "I doubted Link would have the sense to find you some decent clean-up time and items."

"Hey!" I protest, but find myself quieted as Zelda's face beams. 

"Thank you!" she whispers, already running the brush through her hair. I smile, and sit across from the two girls, forming a triangle between the three of us. 

I frown, remembering the jewels, and the fact that Zelda can't find her Triforce piece. 

Dang it. 

"I suggest we get looking for Zelda's current form," Skye says. "Not that I don't enjoy her company, but. . . . " She smiles over at Zelda, who returns it. "I think it would be best for her." 

I feel my face burning as I hear the suggestion. 

How does _Skye _know what's best for Zelda?

"Yeah," I say. "How's the best way to start?" 

"Collect the jewels," Zelda says. "If the current Zelda has our Triforce piece, then Ganondorf is sure to be after her." She frowns, tugging the brush through a nasty-looking knot. After she's done, she continues. "If this happens, which I have no doubt it will, Ganondorf will have enough power to return from the Realm of Evil. The only way we can fight him then is if we have the jewels." 

"I agree," Skye says. "If this Ganondorf guy is as mad as you guys make him out to be, then I'd rather have some kind of advantage."

"But he'll only be here _if _he finds the current Zelda," I say. 

"It'll be easier for _us _to find her if we have the stones," Navi says. "They enhance the magic, strength, and endurance of those who wear them, just as the Medallions did long ago. A Sheikah locating spell would be simple work once we have those." 

"Sheikah locating spell?" Skye and I ask together. I'd say it's pretty self-explanatory because of the name, but the words sound odd to us. I continue, "What's a Sheikah? And why would a Sheikah spell be difficult?" 

"The Sheikah, also known as Shadow Folk, was a race in old Hyrule," Navi says. "They died out a long time ago, but their spells required tremendous amounts of magical energy, just ask Zelda." Skye and I look over to the princess, who nods. 

"Okay then," I say. "We'll find the jewels, locate the current Zelda, defeat Ganondorf, and forget this whole thing ever happened." 

"Sounds good," Skye offers, but Zelda frowns. "What's the matter?" 

"I don't want you to forget me," Zelda says."I know I probably won't be the same once I find my current form, but. . . . "

"We won't forget you," I say, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I know we won't. Right Skye?"

"You got it!" Skye says, smiling widely. 

"Now where can we get those jewels?" I ask. 

Zelda looks thoughtful. "I believe that most of the sage stones are in the temples that the sages used to protect," she says. "But after all these years. . . . "

"It's something to go on, at least," Skye says. "I say we search for these temples, and if the stones aren't there, we can assume they've been discovered. If that's the case, then we can go to the Lake Hylia museum and research center, right?" 

"But that's a day's trip!" I yelp. 

"If it comes to that point . . . then we'll have to do it anyway," Skye says. 

"What about the warp songs?" Navi asks suddenly. "If I remember, there was one that leads to Lake Hylia." 

"I can't warp until I merge with the current Zelda," Zelda says, looking downcast. "I'm sorry." 

Warp songs? 

At the look on Zelda's face I decide not to ask. 

"So, then, which temple should we search first?" I ask. 

"Shadow," Zelda says. "As it's the closest." 

"Where is it?" Skye asks. 

"Kakariko Graveyard," Zelda says. "Shall we?" 

"Let's go," I say. 


	12. Chapter 12

Okay, wow.

It's been waaaaaay over a year since I've updated this thing. Actually, it's been a good while since I've updated any of my stories. Hehehehe. Oops. I figured better late than never, and who knows? Even if I've lost some people, maybe I'll get a following of completely new readers!

Or not.

Either way, it's here. And I'll warn you-it ends on a cliffhanger. Don't worry though, I've gone into this kind of sort of Zelda-obsessing streak and hope to pump out the end of this fic by, say, February or so. Maybe March. It depends on how busy I get, being in high school with finals and all. . 

So, read, and _please please _review. It's what keeps me going. Besides, if you don't review, then I don't think you're reading, and why should I put up my work if no one reads it?

-------------------------------------------------------

The _graveyard? _

She's got to be kidding.

Of course, I voice none of this as we make our way to the graveyard, Skye and Zelda chatting a few steps ahead of me. Navi's under my hat, listening intently to the conversation in front of us. I shuffle along behind them, somehow _still _in the stupid tunic that was my Halloween costume.

I bet it smells by now.

I bring an arm up to my face and take a wiff.

Oh yeah, it smells.

I really need to remember to change out of this thing next time I get home.

"This place is so different," Zelda says, looking around at the suburban part of Kakariko. I blink, realizing that we're near the graveyard. "Do you know where we're going?" She turns to me.

"Skye should, but if she doesn't, I do," I say.

"This way," Skye says to Zelda, and they turn, Skye shouting at me not to fall behind. "You said we need to look for an older part of the graveyard?"

Zelda nods. "A really old part of the graveyard," she says. "One that was around over a hundred years ago. Or, at least, I think it was a hundred years ago, I don't remember. When you know five or six lifetimes, the years start to blend."

"I can imagine," Skye says, looking shocked.

I don't say anything, but I'm sure it was over one hundred years ago. I mean, she's an age-old princess for crying out loud! "Erm, Zelda? How much farther is it to this Temple of Shadow place?"

"I'm not sure," Zelda replies. "As I said, we're looking for an old graveyard, but. . . ." She looks around at the cemetary that seems to have popped up around us out of nowhere in the last few moments. "I'm not sure this is it."

Skye hunches down and looks at one of the gravestones. "You're right. The years on this thing are recent."

Navi gulps. "H-how recent?"

"A couple years ago," Skye answers, looking at the headstones around her. She smirks. "You aren't telling me you're afraid of ghosts, are you?" Her grin widens as Navi turns a bright pink.

I think she's blushing.

"O-of course not!" She stutters, but out of fear or anger, I can't tell.

"She's not scared of ghosts!" I say, drawing abreast (or as about as abreast as you can be of a fairy) to Navi. I look over to the fairy. "Are you?"

"Nope!" Navi says, sticking her nose into the air in front of her. "Where would you get an idea like that? Honestly! I went through the Shadow Temple once before with you!" She crosses her tiny arms and glares at the other two females in the group. "See? Link believes in me!"

"He's the only one," Skye snickers.

"Shut up!" Navi shrieks.

"Come on, please," Zelda says, a pained look on her face. "We need to get to the Temple of Shadow. . . . "

"Let them bicker," I say, walking over and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. I don't notice her blush as I lead her away from Skye, who's grinning at Navi devilishly and the fairy who is glaring at her in return. "It's not worth the time. They'll catch up to us when they notice we're gone."

"You're sure?" Zelda asks, looking back at the other two.

"Yep."

An hour later, we run into the forest.

I blink stupidly as I stare into the treetops, wondering where the graveyard went and how we didn't notice that it was gone. Skye's crossing her arms, irritated, and I get the feeling that her irritation is aimed at Zelda. Navi's glaring at Skye, but because she's still mad at my partner or if it's because my partner's mad at Zelda, I'm not sure. The princess herself is looking around somewhat hopelessly at our surroundings.

"So . . . " Skye begins, and I wince. Zelda's going to get the telling-off of her life now. "We've been through the entire graveyard, and nothing strikes you as familiar. Are we sure you're not just playing dress-up and trying to fool us?"

Zelda frowns, and looks as if she's going to cry. "No! I swear it! Perhaps they moved it. . . . "

"Come on, Skye!" Navi scolds. "You should know better than that! Even if she's joking around with you, I'm not!"

"I don't believe it," Skye says, rather scathingly. Her eyes narrow, and I shiver, remembering how she was before I broke her of Twinrova's spell. "I should go home right now and forget this whole thing ever happened!"

"Skye, please," I say. "You've just been away from home too long, you're tired, you're hungry, just stay with us, please?"  
"No," Skye snaps. "You'd be well to do what I am." She marches off.

"Skye!" I shout, making a move after her, but something stopped me. I looked back, and Zelda was latched onto my arm with a very timid look on her face. "What? What's wrong?"

"Please don't leave me alone." If I didn't know better, I'd say she looks scared. Very scared.

"I . . . won't," I say.

I'm confused.

Very confused.

Why is she acting like this?

"Thank you," Zelda says. She looks down at the ground for a moment, then lifts her face up to stare at mine. "Let's go then. Your friend doesn't have to come if she doesn't want to." She crosses her arms and marches forward.

"Hey, Zelda, are you sure that's even the right way?"

"I'm fine!"

"She's fine."

"Navi! Don't side with her!" I glare at the fairy, and manage to run strait into Zelda, who's stopped walking after her mad tirade into the forest. "Umph!" I look up at the solid figure that managed to knock me down. "Hey . . . what's up? Why'd we stop?"

"Something's . . . here. . . . "

"What's here?"

"It feels . . . so familiar," Zelda says, crossing her arms over her chest and closing her eyes. "It feels . . . like the Temple of Shadow."

"Around here?" I yelp, looking about us. "But . . . this is just a clearing in some forest! This isn't even a graveyard!"

A tiny hand slaps me, and I look up to see Navi floating there. "Think, Link. It's been some hundreds, maybe even a thousand years since the time we're talking about. The graveyard could have expanded, then moved as the graves got older and were forgotten."

"That seems to be the case," Zelda says as she kneels on the ground, pulling the underbrush aside from the space in front of her. My mouth falls open as a headstone is revealed. Zelda frowns. "This was the one in front of the temple. . . . Navi?"

"Gotcha," Navi says, flying up into the sky. I missed the unspoken question, because I had no idea what she was doing as her head whipped from side to side, as if she were looking for something.

"Hey," I say, "What's going on?"

"Just a minute," Zelda says, looking up at Navi, who, after a moment, comes down, nodding.

"It's there," Navi says. "We might have a little trouble getting to it, though."

"Getting to _what!_" I shriek in demand, insanely irritated with myself for not knowing something I should know, and at them for discussing something without informing me what it is. "What are we getting to?"

"The Temple of Shadow," Zelda explains after a moment. "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting you don't remember. Perhaps it would be better if you changed out of your tunic. . . . "

"It might," I huff. "It just might." There's silence for a few moments, and I can feel Zelda's discomfort radiating from her. "I'm sorry, I'm tired, I'm hungry. Let's just get this over with, okay?"

"Sounds good," Navi replies.

"There's a ledge," Zelda offers. "That the Temple of Shadow is on. Previously, it was inaccessable, but I think that with all these vines and undergrowth, we might be able to climb up it." To demonstrate, she grabs a handful of the vines, finds a foothold, and begins to haul herself up.

"How high is this ledge?" I ask, following her lead.

"Just high enough to be annoying," Zelda replies, and I look up.

And instantly look back down.

_She's wearing a _dress, _you dolt, _my mind says to me.

We climb, and within five minutes, Zelda offers me her hand to help me up over the edge of the cliff. Up here, the trees are still fairly thick, but not as much as the rest of the forest, and I get the same feeling here that I did in the Temple of Time. Zelda frowns, but before I can ask her, she walks forward, and pulls some vines away, revealing a cave entrance.

"And here's why I'm glad I have you," I say. "Otherwise, I'd be lost."

"And I'm chopped liver?" Navi questions.

"More or less," I comment. She smacks me lightly as we begin to desend into the cave. There are stairs, which, under normal circumstances, I would think was weird, but, with everything that's happened over the past forty-eight hours or so, I don't. "So, Zel, is this stone down in this cave?"

"The cave leads to the Temple of Shadow," Zelda says. "And the stone should be in the temple."

"Should be?"

"They might have been retrieved over the years," she explains. "Haven't I told you all of this before?"

"Yeah, you might have," I say. "But I forget things easily, so you should prepare to say it again." We came to the bottom of the stairs, into a large cavern with another cave door leading into darkness.

Guess _that's _why they call it the Temple of Shadow.

Sure is dark.

And scary.

But I'm not scared. Nope.

"Come on," I say. "Let's go." I lead the way into the temple, Zelda and Navi following close behind. I instantly register it as odd that there was enough light around us to brighten where we were walking, but everything beyond a certain point was black. Navi occasionally tried to fly ahead, thinking to make the light bigger, but flew back almost instantly, claiming the dark gave her the shivers.

"You'd think," Zelda says after a while, breaking the silence and looking around. "That this place would have more traps."

"Traps?" I question, my voice catching on the word.

"Nothing serious," Navi reassures me. "Just really really big holes and false walls. Things like that."

"Oh, I feel so much better knowing that's it," I say sarcastically. "I'm guessing that this stone is at the bottom of the dungeon?"

"Bongo Bongo's layer, more than likely," Zelda says. "Let's just hope he's not alive after this long."

Alive?  
Oh, boy, I _hope _he's not alive.

"So, how do we get there?"

"POE!" Navi screeches, and Zelda and I duck as the ghost flies over us. "Anyone wanna guess we follow that thing?"

"Can't hurt too much, can it?" I retort, getting to my feet and giving chase.

"Well, actually, it can," Navi replies, but she and Zelda are at my heels anyway. The Poe leads us through a series of dusty hallways, some of which have caved in, and we have to make our way around the rubble.

"Watch out!" Zelda yelps, suddenly pulling me away from where I was about to step.

"What?" I ask. There's a dull thud, and a black platform, the bottom of which is covered by spikes, lands where I had just been. "Thanks."

"I don't remember this in the temple," Navi says. "Obviously the Sheikah updated it before they died out."

"More than likely," Zelda replies. "Link, be on your guard."

"Yeah, I kind of realized that after I nearly got smushed," I retort. Looking back at the black platform, I shake my head. "Come on, let's get out of here."

The temple, I soon realize, is pretty much empty and deserted. I guess Ganondorf and the Sheikahs found it pretty useless to guard after some point. There are still some traps, but they're easy to spot, and even easier to avoid (as long as you aren't in a dress, like Zelda is) Finally, after digging our way through another collapsed part of a tunnel, we find ourselves in a dead end.

"What now?"

"There's a hole in the floor," Zelda states, pointing.

That's odd, why would there be a random hole here?"

"That must be the hole that leads to Bongo-Bongo's layer," Navi says, hovering above us, looking down at the entrace with a trace of curiosity and fear.

"You remember it?" I ask.

"Hard to forget," Navi replies, wincing. "At one point during the fight, he grabbed me and threw me all the way across the room into the wall. It hurt."

"Sounds like," I comment. I notice that Zelda's silent, and all Navi and I are doing is prolonging the wait time. No matter how much we stand up here and chat, that thing's either down there waiting for us or has left the stone for us. Or neither, but I don't want to think about what would happen if that was the case. I swallow hard.

It's now or never.

"Let's go," I mumble, my lips barely forming the words. "Or we'll never get around to it." I take a deep breath. "I'll jump first, okay? If I shout that it's safe, follow me." I exhale quickly, then take another deep breath, gathering up my courage. I shut my eyes tight, mumble a prayer to the goddesses, and jump.


End file.
